Ocean
26 How to See Papahānaumokuākea—And How to Say It!
A visit to Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in downtown Hilo
By Karen Valentine
79 Worldwide Voyage
Leg 23 brought Hōkūle‘a to Sorel, Quebec, Canada—the
furthest north that she will travel on the Worldwide Voyage.

People
39 The Spirit of Kohala Lives on at the Christmas Lū‘au
By Jan Wizinowich
47 1500 shades of Aunty Betty Webster
By Catherine Tarleton

Your Health. Our Mission.

53 Home Grown to Fulfill a Need
Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union
By Fern Gavelek
71 100 Years of Giving
Hawai‘i Community Foundation celebrates
a century of helping Hawai‘i Island
By Denise Laitinen

• Conveniently located in Waimea
• Emergency services available 24/7 for all your
needs, large or small
• Fully accredited Level III Trauma Center
• Affiliated with The Queen’s Health Systems
for easy access to top specialists

North Hawai‘i Community Hospital is part of
The Queen’s Health Systems ‘ohana.

Back issues of Ke Ola available for purchase.
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KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Departments

North Hawai‘i Community Hospital

5

Advertiser Index

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marketing, they enable us to perpetuate and immortalize these important stories that
deserve to be shared. Please visit them (in person, online, or by phone) and thank
them for providing you this copy. Without them, Ke Ola Magazine would not exist.

Ke Ola Magazine recognizes the use
of the ‘okina [‘] or glottal stop,
as one of the eight consonants
of (modern) Hawaiian language;
and the kahakō [ā] or macron
(e.g., in place names of Hawai‘i such as Pāhoa).
Ke Ola Magazine respects the individual use
of these markings for
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The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
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From Our Readers
✿ Aloha,
A quick note to express my appreciation for Leilehua Yuen’s fine article
about Rapid Ohia Death in July–Aug 2016 issue. Mahalo for such a
thorough and thoughtful piece.
Catherine G. Tripp
San Rafael, CA
✿ Aloha,
I just want to drop a note that your information on page 54 of the
Sept–Oct 2016 issue contains an error. I confirmed with Jack [ Jeffery]
that it is not 350 honycreepers that evolved from the rosefinch. It is 56.
Source: TheGuardian.com/science/punctuated-equilibrium/
2011/nov/02/hawaiian-honeycreepers-tangled-evolutionary-tree
Hans R. Hemken
Pāhoa, Hawai‘i
✿ I loved reading this story [Uncle Aku]
The knowledge, planning, timing, location, preparation before hand,
only proves once again how intuitive the island people were with nature
and the continual balance of living and harvesting from both the ‘āina
and the sea. I miss the storytelling of my relatives, as we gathered when my
family was visiting the islands, revealing the Hawai‘i of my parents’ youth.
A fabulous story.
Dale Ku‘umomi Deacon
Grass Valley, CA

A Hui Hou!

✿ Aloha Ke Ola Readers,
This is my last issue as Editor of Ke Ola Magazine.
It’s been a pleasure to help tell the stories of Hawai‘i Island that are dear
to my heart for the past four years. One is in this issue—Aunty Lale Kam
(p82)—I love this woman!
Barbara Garcia, the owner and publisher of Ke Ola Magazine, has
decided to have the editor and production staff work out of an office in
Hilo. Having lived in Portland OR for a number of years, where there was
lots of rain, I’ve “been there, done that.”
Abundant blessings to the new team, and the magazine.
Renée Robinson, Editor
AWealthOfWisdom.com
We welcome your input and feedback.
You may submit a letter at KeOlaMagazine.com under the contact tab.

As we enter the Makahiki season and close out our eighth year of
publishing, we give thanks. We are genuinely grateful to have such a
high level of support from our community. From the kumu (teachers)
who teach us so much about their culture and heritage, to our writers,
artists and staff, and to each and every one of our advertisers, this
magazine is dedicated to you.
I may be the publisher, however I knew very little about publishing
when Karen Valentine and I first started Ke Ola Magazine. My
background was in the operations and sales/marketing aspects of
running a business. Karen had the journalism background, along
with technical and creative know-how, plus her industry connections.
When I became the sole owner in 2012, it was time for our first
big shift. Renée Robinson came on board as editor, while Karen
remained as one of our favorite writers. Renée guided Ke Ola
Magazine through its next chapter of growth, and we are grateful for
her help. Now it’s time for Ke Ola’s next chapter.
As we plan for 2017, we are excited to centralize our editorial,
graphics and production departments to downtown Hilo. This will give
us the opportunity to be more cohesive, with more streamlined and
efficient systems in place. The timing of this change came about with
the growth of our business and retirements from some of our ‘ohana.
It is with grateful hearts that we bid aloha and a hui hou to: Renée
Robinson, as editor; Sonia Martinez, our local agriculture and recipe
writer, who is retiring (again) to spend more time in her garden and
writing cookbooks; Richard Price, our production manager, is also
retiring once more; and our story designers, Michael Portillo and
WavenDean Fernandes from Mana Brand Marketing, are moving
onto other projects. I can humbly say, without each of you, Ke Ola
Magazine would not have become the award-winning magazine it is
today, and again, I am forever grateful.
Looking forward, we are currently working with our new editorial,
graphics and production team for the January/February 2017 issue
and will be pleased to introduce you to them with the first magazine
of next year. The rest of our ‘ohana remains the same... I’ll still be
helping businesses with growth strategies; Gayle Greco will continue
to oversee the management; you’ll be seeing Sharon Bowling
delivering magazines all over the island; and my husband, Eric
Bowman is still our bookkeeper. We all look forward to continuing
our dialogue with you!
As for the November/December issue that you are reading, it is
filled with stories of community service and foundations, historic
buildings, kūpuna talk story, holiday events, and more. There are so
many more Hawai‘i Island stories yet to be told. We look forward to
sharing those with you in 2017 and beyond.
Have a wonderful holiday season!
Aloha pumehana,
Barbara Garcia, Publisher

Peaceful Evening
by Patricia Leo
See her story
on page 87

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

✿ A Farewell,
After five years of sharing about the food bounty of our island, the
time has come to bid my Ke Ola readers a fond farewell. I have made
the decision to retire from this facet of my life and dedicate more time to
writing cookbooks, and other pursuits.
I have enjoyed working with everyone I’ve come into close contact with at
Ke Ola and will miss the deadlines (not really!) and back and forth e-mails
and phone calls. I have made friends for life with Barb, Renée, and Sharon,
and know that will not change.
Look for one of my articles in the 2017 Hawai‘i Island Weddings,
Honeymoons, and Special Occasions magazine.
A hui hou!
Sonia R. Martinez, Writer
SoniaTastesHawaii.com

Rejoice Keauhou, Famous is Lekeleke
Battle of sacredness, Sacred is Kuamo‘o
Cared for the God, God of Pili
Kūka‘ilimoku, God of Kamehameha
Famous Lekeleke, Kuamo‘o below
Famous Lekeleke, Kuamo‘o above
Kekuaokalani, A chief of Kona
Sacred place of the chief, chief of the sacredness
High above a foundation, foundation at Kuamo‘o
Mānono a woman, a famous woman indeed
Famous Lekeleke, Kuamo‘o below
Famous Lekeleke, Kuamo‘o above
Observed relationship of the chief of Kona
Cared for by the God, God Kūka‘ilimoku
Sacred lifestyle, life returns to sacredness
Protected by Māihi, Protected by Kualanui
Famous Lekeleke, Kuamo‘o below
Famous Lekeleke, Kuamo‘o above

Procession of the Makahiki banner with the Royal Court.
Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i Campus in Kea‘au

| By Leilehua Yuen

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

L

12

ong before Christmas was celebrated in Hawai‘i, we had our
own winter holiday—the Makahiki. Makahiki can be a confusing
word. It means “year,” “new year,” and also refers to the months-long
season that heralds the new year in the Hawaiian calendar.
Since the Hawaiian cultural renaissance began in the 1970s,
more and more people are renewing celebration of the Makahiki.
Depending on the group, the modern celebrations may be held any
time from late October to late December. Some people celebrate it
on the weekend of the American Thanksgiving holiday.
It is celebrated with games and food, and some groups even raise
the great Makahiki banner over the festivities, as in ancient times.
In a modern take on the collection of food and goods, some schools
and churches include a food drive for items which are then donated
to charity.
In ancient times, as the old year drew to a close, the priests
associated with certain temples on the western side of each
inhabited Hawaiian island would watch for the appearance of specific
stars or constellations.
On the island of Hawai‘i, they watched for Makali‘i—the
Pleiades—a star cluster that appears in the evening sky in our
October. When the priests could finally distinguish Makali‘i in the

eastern sky shortly after sunset, they announced the next new moon
would begin the Makahiki season. This was a time when warfare and
most work were prohibited, and the people celebrated with games
and sports.
Peter Michaud, Public Information and Outreach Manager at the
Gemini Observatory here on Hawai‘i Island and former Planetarium
Manager for the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, O‘ahu, says “I would
guess there were probably heiau (places of worship) which had
stones or some kind of protruding object which would show where
Makali‘i would rise. The observer would watch for them at twilight.
The time they could be seen would be variable, depending on
atmospheric conditions, such as clouds and haze. It wouldn’t have
been really exact, because that’s just the nature of these types of
observations. . . Today we use a computer to figure out exactly when
the Pleiades would rise
at sunset.”
The Earth wobbles slightly as it spins through space. This wobbling
takes many thousands of years to complete one full cycle. Yet, when
the Polynesian explorers were arriving in Hawai‘i 1,500–2,000 years
ago, the Pleiades rose about three days earlier than they do now. In
practical use, however, this makes little difference to a four month
festival and a rainy season which can vary by several weeks.

Mō‘ī (king) and retainers.

The exact method of calculation varies between districts and
even families. This year, 2016, if one uses the dark sky rising
of the Pleiades, Makahiki begins with the Hilo moon (beginning
of the waxing crescent) on October 31. If one uses the earliest
sighting of the Pleiades, Makahiki begins with the Hilo moon
on December 1. The Hawaiian calendar marks the new day at
nightfall, rather than midnight.
Details of the Makahiki varied from island to island and district
to district. In general, Lono, as the god of fertility, held sway over
the islands in this season. His image made a clockwise circuit
along the coast of the island, with the celebrations beginning
just before his arrival, and ending at his departure. The entire
time Lono was traveling, warfare across the entire island was
forbidden. Most work was also forbidden, and on specific days the
kapu, the religious laws, were relaxed to allow people to farm or
fish so that they would not starve.
Before the arrival of Lono-Makua (Father Lono) to preside over
the Makahiki in a given district, taxes were collected in the form
of offerings to Lono-Makua. The offerings included vegetables,
taro, hard taro paste, sweet potatoes, chickens, dogs, dried fish,
clothing, rope, feathers, feather lei, and anything else of value or

Students performing hula
for the Makahiki Court.

needed for daily life. These things would support the functioning
of the royal court to some degree in the next year.
Also, a ceremony lasting four or five days was held. This was
called the Hi‘u-Wai (water splashing). Since the chilly months had
arrived, fires were kindled on the beach. The people then bathed
ceremonially in the sea, warmed and dried themselves at the
fires, and then put on new clothing in honor of the new year.
The image representing Lono-Makua was made fresh each
year. It was a long pole with an image of Lono at the top and a
crosspiece just below the image. From the crosspiece were hung
banners of white kapa, feather lei, and stuffed pelts of the kaupu
bird (Laysan albatross). This image was known as the “Long God”
of the Makahiki because it took the long way around the island,
traveling throughout the season.
On coming into the district, Lono-Makua would be set up,
as well as the Akua Pa‘ani, the god of sports. The eyes of the
high priest would be blindfolded. The people then spent the
next several days in sports and festivals. Demonstrations of
boxing, spear throwing, sled riding, and other games and sports
entertained the people of the district.
The carriers of the Long God were fed by the household of

The Makahiki Court

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Chanting during
the procession
of the
Makahiki banner

14

the district chief. His wife would clothe the image in a new malo
(loincloth) and the chief would present it with a whale tooth lei.
The rain-bearing clouds arriving from the south-east were
pointed out by the priests as signs of Lono’s coming, and the
priests prayed to Lono-Makua for fertility for the land and for
abundant harvests.
Throughout the ceremonies, the commoners and chiefs each
had their own religious, as well as secular duties. The commoners
prayed that the lands of their chiefs would increase in size and
prosperity, and for the health of themselves and their chiefs. And,
they prayed for success in their various endeavors.
The chiefs prayed for health, prosperity, and many descendants.
It was felt that as the chiefs prospered, so would the lands and
the people.
Meanwhile, an image called the “Short God” was borne in
the opposite direction through the uplands. The upland people
followed it as it traveled, gathering bundles of fern shoots to
eat. The Short Gods were attached to a specific district, so upon
reaching the opposite edge of the district, the Short God, unlike
the Long God, returned to its place of origin.
When the Short God returned, a bonfire was lit. If the night
had clear weather, it was considered an omen of prosperity. The
following day the blindfold was removed from the high priest’s
eyes and a fishing canoe was sent out. While those men fished,
others gathered fern shoots from the forest. When the canoe
returned, the male chiefs and other men ate a meal of the fish,
probably with the fern shoots. This was repeated for several

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days. On the last day, the chiefesses and other women also ate
the meal.
At the end of the district celebration, the priests would say a
prayer to set the land free. The Long God was turned face down
and carried away to the next district where the process began all
over again.
The full circuit probably took the four months of the Makahiki
season, yet no one district would have been under kapu and
unable to work for the whole four months. The kapu on labor, and
the games and feasting would have been in effect only during the
time the gods were in the district.

Trick tug-of-warâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;
students balance on stones while pulling!

On the day Lono-Makua returned at last to his district of origin,
the high chief went to the sea to bathe. After being purified, the
chief and his warriors took their canoes out to sea. This possibly
was a reenactment of a portion of the legend of Lono.
The high chief and his warriors then returned to shore where
they were met by a group of warriors set to resemble an opposing
army. As the chief jumped ashore from his canoe, a retainer
expert in the art of spear warding accompanied him. An opposing
warrior threw a spear at the chief, and it was struck aside by
the retainer. The opposing warrior then touched the chief with a
second spear.
That afternoon, the two armies held mock battles and the high
chief made offerings to Lono-Makua and the Short God. The next
day a feast was prepared. It spent the night steaming in the imu
(underground oven), and at dawn the feast was ready. All of the
community took part in this sacred feast. Anything left over was
Racing
through
obstacles
kept warriors
fit during
peacetime.

Pōhaku Ho‘oikaika (stone throwing).

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Pa‘ume‘ume—two-person tug-of-war.

16

carefully disposed of, much like modern communion wine. The
same day, the Makahiki images were dismantled and placed in
the temple.
Other ceremonies which closed the Makahiki festival included
filling a net with large meshes with various foods. The net was
shaken and watched to see how much fell through the meshes. If
everything fell through, the following year would be prosperous.
A woven basket was also filled with food and lashed between
the booms of an outrigger canoe. It was paddled out to sea and
cut loose to drift as an offering.
Orders were given to cut timber for new structures within
the heiau.
An unpainted canoe was put to sea and paddled back and forth
signaling the lifting of the kapu on fishing, farming, and other
work necessary to daily life.
While the common people now could return to their normal
lives, the chiefs and priests continued wrapping up the religious
observations. Then, over the next few days, the high chief
was purified in a series of ceremonies and the remaining kapu
lifted from various activities. At last the ceremonial duties were
over. The high chief, the high priest, and the man who beat the
ceremonial drum took a final sacramental meal of pork.
The new year could now begin. ❖

ecycle Hawai‘i, a nonprofit organization based in Hilo, has
a stated goal to increase resource awareness and to
encourage recycling and sustainable practices in our community.
Its mission? To promote resource awareness and recycling
enterprises in Hawai‘i.
On Hawai‘i Island, where there is no formal municipal waste
pick up and a relatively short history of recycling, Recycle Hawai‘i
has led the charge to educate about waste, implement recycling
programs, and reduce the volume of waste that makes its way to
our landfills through reuse programs.
According to the Final Report of the Big Island Reuse Feasibility
Analysis prepared for the Clean Hawaii Center back in 2000, the
“purpose of a reuse program is to capture used, and certain new
items and materials that still have some useful life, before they
reach a county landfill, and return them to productive use.
Reusable items may be: Used items that are in good enough
condition to continue serving their originally intended functions
or alternate functions. Used items that can serve as sources of
spare parts for similar items. New items that cannot be sold as
new for various reasons (e.g., blemished, damaged, out of date,
discontinued, low demand), yet can still serve originally intended
purposes or alternate purposes.”
The key features of a recommended reuse program, according
to the Report, are what more or less became the guide for the
first reuse/recycle center on the island set up with USDA funding.
In 2003, Recycle Hawai‘i and the County opened the Kea‘au

| By Paula Thomas
Reuse and Recycling Center (KRRC). Today, KRRC is the flagship
reuse center on the island with sister centers in Pāhoa, Keauhou,
Kealakehe, and Waimea.
Over the past two years, KRRC and the Pāhoa station diverted
a monthly average of 23 tons of reusable material from the
East Hawai‘i landfill for a total of 560.5 tons, with 461.3 of that
attributed to KRRC alone.
The story in West Hawai‘i is similar: more than 280 tons were
diverted from the landfill with the Waimea Transfer Station
accounting for about half of that.
The beauty of these reuse stations is that people can bring ALL
unwanted household items to one location (the transfer stations).
Their bottles and cans go to the HI5 receptacles; newspapers
and cardboard and greenwaste go into appropriate containers.
Now items like clothing, hardware, recreation, sports and training
equipment, electronics, books, latex paint, and “miscellaneous
household” can be dropped off at the reuse stations. Once it’s
sorted, anything reusable is for sale.
At KRRC, there’s a solid wall of books. Clothing is displayed on
beautiful racks thanks to the closing of Sports Authority. In the
construction area, there is lumber, PVC pipes, and joints cached
adjacent to a cluster of porcelain toilets, and lots of latex paint is
available by the gallon and five gallon container.
KRRC has the largest expanse of land and so is conducive to
the storing and stacking of construction equipment.
The other reuse centers are much smaller. Some are just

Clothing and household goods for
sale in the shelter at
Kea‘au Recycling & Reuse Center.
photo by Paula Thomas

On all other days, everything is for sale at bargain-basement
prices. Clothing goes for $1 for five pounds and $5 for up to 50
pounds. The big scale is right by the cashier desk.
There are mothers with children who shop for clothes and toys,
young people looking for home accessories, women who shop
for handbags and accessories, people browsing books, tools,
checking out the workout equipment.
These stations are open seven days a week during business
hours (8am to roughly 5pm—see the sidebar for exact times and
directions) and open every day of the year except Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
They are situated at the transfer stations, so they can be
readily discovered.
If you haven’t noticed them, look for the bamboo shelter at
Keauhou, Kealakehe, and Pāhoa.
At Waimea, it’s the small building that is used by both Recycle
and the HI5 program.
At Kea‘au, you can’t miss the enormous shelters. They came
from one of the County departments and call direct attention to
the reuse program.
For those who want to donate, you can simply bring unwanted
clothes, old gym equipment, baby paraphernalia, used books, old
kitchenware—almost anything reusable—to Recycle Hawai‘i and
you will get a donation form in return.
Bring useful items that will provide new owners with either
cost-effective, energy-efficient, and/or reliable service benefits.
The staff are helpful and accommodating, passionate about
what they do, highly empathetic, and dedicated to the community.
There isn’t much they won’t do to assist people in finding what
they need. Some of them rarely take a vacation.
Waimea Reuse Center

bamboo shelters not equipped to take in construction materials,
at least not at the present time.
Wherever possible, however, Recycle Hawai‘i has a storage
container available to house all other donated items so they can
be kept safe and dry before being sorted and resold.
At some of the centers, especially Kealekehe, there just isn’t
enough capacity (even with the container) to accommodate all
the donations. Any excess gets hauled to KRRC.
For the staff at all locations, sorting through all the donations
takes up the bulk of their time, yet it is essential for their mission:
to divert as much from the waste stream as possible.
What can get resold or reused is put out for sale, and the rest
gets “thrown away.” Let’s be clear, there’s no “away.” Away means
it’s bound for the landfill. In three years or so, the landfill will be
full, according to Paul J. Buklarewicz, executive director of
Recycle Hawai‘i.
The reuse program is a win-win-win for Recycle Hawai‘i, the
community, and Hawai‘i Island. Recycle Hawai‘i generates revenue
from sales. The community has new access to low-cost items that
can be used or repurposed, and less waste makes its way to the
landfill. That is the overarching goal.
So, if it happens that you or someone you know are looking for
really low-cost items, visit the reuse centers. At most centers, the
clothing is free on Thursdays, and the Kea‘au location also offers
free clothing on Mondays. Get there early!

The second shelter at KRRC with cashier’s desk in
the center and clothing, accessories, books inside.
photo by Paula Thomas

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Looking for pre-qualified help for
the Holidays and High Season?
ResidentS!
Looking for temporary or
permanent work?
EitheR way, Call the ExpeRts!!!

Kealakehe (Kailua-Kona) Recycling & Reuse Center

At KRRC, in front of the reuse area, there are three HI5 recycle
bins that are just for Recycle Hawai‘i. Put your bottles and cans in
those bins—and you are supporting the staff Christmas party, a
Thanksgiving gathering, or a pau hana (after work) event.

It was determined in 2015, that about 54% of the Hilo landfill
is composed of organic waste. Diverting that organic material is
in the near-term plans and a $10 million initiative was recently
announced for a massive composting program. That means one
day you could be going down to the reuse station for your mulch!
In 2008, Recycle Hawai‘i began working to collect materials
from renovated buildings and new construction sites with the idea
of reselling construction and demolition materials. In one sixmonth period in 2009, Recycle Hawai‘i was able to divert 200,000
pounds of material from the landfill. To put that in perspective,
a doublewide mobile home weighs about 120,000 pounds. The
space shuttle weighs in at about 165,000 pounds.
Now, seven years later, Recycle Hawai‘i is working through
the Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
program to identify LEED construction projects around the island.
LEED guidelines require that a certain percentage of material is
recycled, and the higher the LEED rating for the project, the more
that has to be recycled.
Recycle Hawai‘i, with its main office in Hilo, has run tremendous
educational programs on how and why to recycle, reuse, and
compost. It’s developed outlets all around the island for the
proper disposal of all kinds of hazardous and non-biodegradable
waste, from used motor oil to electronic waste, all for the purpose
of preventing unnecessary disposal of items into the landfill.
This saves us all money (estimated at roughly $80 per ton),
conserves landfill space, and provides low-cost items for anyone
interested. It also prevents hazardous and toxic waste from
causing undue harm.
Darlene Woolford at Waimea Reuse Center

Hilo Office:
145 Keawe St., Hilo
808.933.86600

Kona Office:
74-5583 Luhia St., Kailua-Kona
808.329.9089

E mp l o ym ent - Exper t s.com

Its programs have been so successful and artfully creative that
their outreach is still a fixture in the schools.
It was many decades ago that recycling as a community and
household responsibility started to take hold across the United
States. Conversations about waste disposal called attention to the
words used to refer to waste removal, like throw out the trash,
throw away the garbage.
Trash is the stuff you get rid of because it is no longer wanted
or needed; garbage is discarded animal and vegetable matter,
as from a kitchen; or any matter that is no longer wanted or
needed.

All this we get rid of by throwing it “away”, forgetting that there
really is no “away” when you live on an island.
Unless we are jettisoning all of our trash and garbage into
outer space, “away” is simply a euphemism for the fact that we
give our garbage to someone else to deal with. All of the “stuff”
that you throw “away” goes somewhere, and if your stuff is not
biodegradable, it’s going to be at that somewhere for a long, long
time. Resource management, instead of waste management, has
become a new focal point for planning. The County of Hawai‘i
supports the reuse and recycling efforts across the island, and
even more could be done more quickly with a bigger budget.
According to an article in Waste to Wealth, “...Recycling has
become... a permanent part of U.S. daily life. More people recycle
every day at home, school, and work than vote regularly in

Christmas Light

Parade

Saturday,
November 26, 2016
www.DowntownHilo.com

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Pāhoa Reuse Center

23

elections. The impact has been dramatic.”
There is more we can all do. It starts with
thinking about what we do with things we
no longer want before we throw
them “away.”
If it’s usable, take it out of your garbage
bags and bring it to a Recycle Hawai‘i reuse
station instead.
You’ll be doing yourself, Recycle Hawai‘i,
and our island a great service. ❖
Mālama Nā ‘Āina
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Contact Recycle Hawai‘i:
RecycleHawaii.org, 808.969.2012
Contact writer Paula Thomas:
paula@delphipacific.com
Photos courtesy Recycle Hawai‘i
Sources:
RecycleHawaii.org/recycle-reuse-centers.html
BountyHeadbBeBop.com/forum/index.
php?topic=24.0
ILSR.org/the-new-recylcing-movement-part1-recycling-changes-to-meet-new-challenges

akahiki, Christmas, and the New Year all are times of
fresh beginnings. Many people make resolutions at this time to do
better or be better in the coming year. While making resolutions is
common around the world—according to some researchers, about
50% of us make such resolutions—fewer than 10% of us actually
keep them for a full year.
What’s going on? Are most of us weak-willed? Are we lazy? Do
90% of us just make resolutions that are too hard to keep? Ah.
Now we are getting somewhere.
Research has shown that to be effective, a resolution should
meet two critical criteria. It must be:
• SPECIFIC
• REALISTIC

Change one thing at a time.
Trying to live up to a whole batch of resolutions can get
overwhelming and discouraging. We can get so overwhelmed
that we just give up on the whole kit and kaboodle. Selecting
the one that is most important and working on that, we are far
more likely to succeed.

“Get in shape” is not specific. Because it is undefined and
amorphous, it is not quantifiable and it is hard to visualize.
“Walk two miles per day” is specific. This is clearly defined,
concrete, and quantifiable. It is easy to visualize.
The better we can visualize a goal, the more likely we are to
achieve it.
Of course, if the goal is unrealistic it is unachievable. By setting
unachievable goals, we only train ourselves for failure.
Once a specific and realistic resolution is made, there are a
number of techniques we can use to help ourselves meet it.

Look for rewards.
Every day we can find at least one good thing that came from
working on the resolution. If we focus on that, instead of on the
mistakes, it helps us to keep moving toward the goal.

Start small.
Little steps make long journeys. Every time we take a step that
succeeds, we train for success. Those successes add up!

Expect ups and downs.
We will miss gym dates, have an extra snack, sleep late, be too
tired to journal. If we know that it will happen and already plan to
be kind to ourselves, identify what went wrong, and get back on
track, we will be less likely to waste energy and time with beating
ourselves up.
Keep track of progress.
Sometimes the best way to avoid discouragement about how
far we have to go is to look back at how far we have come.
Keeping a journal, a chart, or even posting progress on social
media gives us a record that we can look back at and say, “Wow!
I had no idea I’d come so far!”
Remember that change takes time.
We are all works in progress. It took our whole lives to get
where we are. It will take the rest of our lives to get where we
are going. But if we keep taking those small steps, we can make
the journey better and better!
Contact writer Leilehua Yuen: kumuleimanu@gmail.com

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Enlist friends and family as a support group.
Choose people who are actually supportive of that specific goal.
Sometimes, even people who love us will undermine our efforts
by enabling bad behavior.
An example is the partner who rewards us with our favorite
cake every time we start to lose weight.
Another is the friend who begs us to go out nightclubbing when
our resolution is to finish writing a book.

Break it into steps.
Sometimes, the goal is a big one, and there is no getting
around it. We can break those into smaller steps and work on one
at a time, setting mileposts for progress. We can predetermine
rewards for achieving each milepost, and then be sure to enjoy
them at the appropriate time.

25

How to See Papahānaumokuākea—
And How to Say It!

I

know. Those long strings of letters are difficult—if not
impossible—to pronounce. Yet it shouldn’t keep you
from exploring and visiting a real gem of a visitors’
attraction in Hilo.
Mokupāpapa Discovery Center is the primary interpretive
center for the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National
Monument—more correctly named Papahānaumokuākea Marine
National Monument. Not only is it located in an exquisite historical
building with a rich history in itself, its exhibits are interesting and
intriguing to all ages. (see story on page 34)
Before we jump into learning about the Discovery Center, let’s
tackle the name pronunciation issue. It helps to first split up the
words into parts and understand their meanings in Hawaiian.
Second floor space for functions and presentations

Mokupāpapa starts with the word “moku” (mo-koo). It means
island in Hawaiian. Pāpapa (pah-pah-pah) means a place that
is low or flat, such as an ocean reef. In this case, Mokupāpapa
is a description of all the tiny atolls, islands and reefs that make
up Papahānaumokuākea National Monument. Yes, another, even
longer word!
OK, you notice that Papahānaumokuākea has that word “moku”
in the middle, meaning island. It’s actually the name for a string
of 10 islands, atolls, and numerous smaller sandy islets, beginning
northwest of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau and extending 1,200 miles, all
the way to the atolls of Midway and Kure, which are famous for a
WWII naval battle. These are the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
Split up the name: Papa-hānau-moku-ākea
Two species in the aquarium have never been collected before

A group of visiting school children learn
about the Hawaiian Archipelago,
Ka Pae ‘Āina Hawai‘i Nei.

A visit to Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
in downtown Hilo
| By Karen Valentine
(pronounced Pa-pa-hah-now-mo-koo-ah-keh-ah). There are four
words that make up the one big one. Taken apart it can translate
as; “Papa” (earth mother), “hānau” (birth), “moku” (island), and
“ākea” (wide or sky father). It describes a fertile woman giving
birth to a wide stretch of islands beneath a benevolent sky.
The name Papahānaumokuākea was devised from the ancient
Hawaiian story of the genealogy and formation of the Hawaiian
Islands. Papahānaumoku is a mother figure personified by the
earth and Wākea is a father figure personified in the expansive
sky; the two are honored and highly recognized ancestors of
Native Hawaiian people.
“Their union resulted in the creation, or birthing, of the entire
Hawaiian archipelago––thus the naming of the monument is
Visitors by the signature koa staircase in the Koehnen building

to honor and preserve these names, to strengthen Hawai‘i’s
cultural foundation and to ground Hawaiians to an important
part of their history.
It also is a symbol of hope for the continuing regeneration
of Hawai‘i from the kūpuna islands in the far northwest to the
youngest, the island of Hawai‘i,” said Virginia Branco, interim
director of the Discovery Center.
The center’s location in Hilo is appropriate as it is close to
where the newest island, Lō‘ihi, is still being formed, on the
opposite end of the island chain from the kūpuna or oldest
islands to the northwest.
Since most people will never have the opportunity to visit
these remote islands, the center seeks to “bring the place to the
people” and spur greater public awareness of the region and
ocean conservation issues.
“Hilo is also a good location because of its connection with
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and all the visitors coming
here,” Virginia says.
“In our new facility, the nature and culture of the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands come alive as never before,
transporting visitors to this remote ocean wilderness where
predators rule the reefs, the skies teem with swooping,
screeching seabirds, and the Native Hawaiian chanting of
the Kumulipo (Hawaiian creation chant) sets the mood for
exploration and learning,” states the Mokupāpapa website.
The Mokupāpapa Discovery Center (MDC) was first
established in 2003 in a small space in the S. Hata Building in
downtown Hilo. In 2014, it was expanded and moved into the
much-larger Koehnen Building on the corner of Kamehameha
and Waiānuenue Avenues.
Most people remember the building as the home of Koehnen’s
Furniture, an 87-year-old family business headed by now-92year-old Fred J. Koehnen. With no family members wishing
to continue in the business, the patriarch sold the building
to Giuseppe “Joe” Mamone, who leases it to the MDC. The
historic structure was built in 1910 by H. Hackfield, a German
immigrant who lost the building in 1916 when World War I was
beginning and it was confiscated by the U.S. government, which
considered the property an enemy-owned asset. It was then
sold to an O‘ahu sugar company, American Factors (Amfac).
Amfac moved out following Hilo’s 1946 tsunami and the building
stood vacant for several years before its purchase by Koehnen
and his brother-in-law, Carl Rohner.
Subsequently, the solid structure and furniture store survived
another tsunami in 1960. Architectural features, including a
koa wood staircase (designed by the same artisan that did the
A Laysan Albatross chick (Phoebastria immutabilis)
makes its home at Midway Atoll. The island is
visited by almost two million birds every year.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

A hula performance at the Grand Reopening celebration for
Mokupāpapa is held in the upstairs event room, which is also
available as a rental to other groups.

28

famous Titanic staircase), Hawaiian hardwood floors, and high
ceilings have been well preserved and integrated with the MDC
exhibits and presentation areas.
“We were really excited to get this place,” said Andy Collins,
education programs coordinator for the center. “It was an
opportune time. We were really looking to get out of our old
location and we love the building. We’ve gotten a lot of comments
from people who come to see the exhibit and remember the
building and what it was like in their childhood. People start
to cry—they’ll say, ‘Wow, I remember this place, thank you for
restoring it.’ So that wasn’t intended, but it’s been really neat.”
“We are blessed with this large opportunity to come into this
building,” says Virginia.
The center encompasses approximately 30,000 square feet of
total space. A large room on the second floor may be booked for
special functions.
“We offer the facility to other organizations. It has been
used for conferences, especially those focused on marine or
conservation issues. The event room holds 225 people. With
downstairs spaces included, we have had up to 700 people at
past events.”
Busloads of school children often arrive on the corner of
Kamehameha and Waiānuenue to explore the center.
“We get anything from home school groups, Tūtū and Me
preschool visitors, as well as elementary, high school, university
classes, and some visiting from other islands and out of state. The

In August of this year, the boundaries of Papahānaumokuākea were
expanded, enlarging the Marine National Monument from 139,797 to
582,578 square miles.

first month we were open, 42 school groups visited. We have had
significant numbers all year long,” says Virginia.
The staff has created a series of educational games and
handouts for children, who can join the Ocean Guardian Club.
It’s a self-directed project, in which they finish the activities in a
booklet and then take a pledge to care for the ocean.
Mokupāpapa welcomes volunteers, which they call “mea
kōkua.” They may be adults, retirees, interns from UH-Hilo, or
high school students doing senior projects.
With the help of volunteers, the center can do outreach into
schools and presentations at local events. Groups may also

We have more than 100 fish collected from the wild under
strict permitting guidelines within the marine monument. They
are caught as juveniles and quarantined, treating them for
parasites and any health issues before adding them to the
aquarium. Some of the fish in our aquarium are found only in
Papahānaumokuākea. Some are found there and elsewhere. Two
of the species here have never before been collected alive and in
captivity. Several of them are unknown and still being studied.”
“In all of our years, we’ve had a very healthy tank, keeping fish
for a long time,” says Virginia.
“Visitors get a chance to see these fish in their natural
environment, as closely as possible,” Tim says. “You’d be
surprised how many kids born and raised here have never been in
the ocean. They don’t even know what’s under the water.”
The extensive coral reefs found in Papahānaumokuākea are
home to more than 7,000 marine species, one quarter of which
are found only in the Hawaiian Archipelago.
Many of the islands and shallow water environments are
important habitats for rare species such as the threatened green
sea turtle, the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, three endangered
whale species, the endangered leatherback and hawksbill sea
turtles, as well as the 14 million seabirds representing 22 species
that breed and nest there.
Land areas also provide a home for four species of birds found
nowhere else in the world, including the world’s most endangered
duck, the Laysan duck.
Interactive educational exhibits at the Discovery Center let
visitors explore these amazing islands in different ways.

Volunteers such as Patricia Richardson and Cindy Among-Serrao train
to provide a variety of services at MDC

meet at the center or down by the ocean for education and
tide pool activities.
A 3,500-gallon saltwater aquarium is a major exhibit at
Mokupāpapa. It is managed by a professional aquarist (fish
and aquatic caretaker), Tim Brown, who “has been caretaking
aquariums for many years,” he says.
The aquarium is filled with artificial seawater, which is kept
in pristine condition. Tim described the process: he begins with
tapwater filtered with reverse osmosis and deionization, adding
a synthetic sea salt.
“It is a closed system. We can’t use seawater from Hilo Bay.
One of the reasons is that it has so much fresh water in it.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument
was established by Presidential Proclamation 8031 on June 15,
2006 under the authority of the Antiquities Act. Just this year, it
was expanded in area as of August 26, when President Obama
signed a proclamation expanding the Monument from 139,797 to
582,578 square miles of the Pacific Ocean—an area larger than
all the country’s national parks combined. It is also the nation’s
first and only mixed natural and cultural UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
Commercial fishing and other resource extraction activities,
which are currently prohibited within the boundaries of the
existing monument, are also prohibited within the expanded
monument boundaries.
Noncommercial fishing,
such as recreational
fishing and the removal
of fish and other
resources for Native
Hawaiian cultural
practices, is allowed in
the expansion area by
permit, as is scientific
research. ❖

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Derek Watts and Ron Kittle, both UH Marine Science volunteers who
were later hired to work at MDC, are shown here at the Liquid Robotics
Waveglider exhibit. Both have continued their careers in Marine
Science and remain involved with MDC and Papahānaumokuākea.

30

“Exhibits showcase the latest research going on in the
monument as they find new species,” says Virginia. “A
collaboration between Liquid Robotics, Inc. and UH-Hilo features
the Wave Glider, which collects weather and water quality data
from ocean currents. We also have life-size models of wildlife
found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, artwork inspired by
those islands and Hawaiian culture, and many interpretive panels
in both Hawaiian and English. New features and new educational
programs are being added.”
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is the largest
contiguous, fully-protected conservation area in the world.
It is co-managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of
Hawai‘i, plus the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA).

Contact Mokupāpapa
Discovery Center:
Papahanaumokuakea.
gov/education/
center.html
Contact writer
Karen Valentine:
karenvalentine808@
gmail.com
Photos courtesy
Mokupāpapa
Discovery Center
The Ocean Guardian program is part of the Office of National Marine
Sanctuary children’s programs. Volunteer Derek Watts poses with Baladev
Maynard, showing his certificate pledging to be a good steward of the
ocean. Keiki are welcome to join just by asking at the front desk.

H E A R T S
& S T A R S

™

Queens’ MarketPlace - Waikoloa Beach Resort
UH-Hilo student Jenna Rubin did her Marine Science Internship with
MDC. Every year, UH and local high schools request MDC to mentor
students. Jenna created this Life on the Reef exhibit to help keiki
visitors enjoy a more hands-on experience.

Interim Director Virginia Branco
by the exhibit telling the story
of the origin of the name
Papahānaumokuākea.
photo by Karen Valentine

Professional aquarist Tim Brown
manages the MDC’s 3,500 gallon
aquarium, home to 100-plus fish
collected from the Northwest.
Hawaiian Islands so visitors
can view fish found nowhere
else in the world.
photo by Karen Valentine

Mokupāpapa Discovery Center is located at the corner of
Kamehameha and Waiānuenue Ave. in Hilo. Regular business
hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9am–4pm. Admission
is free.
You can take virtual tours of the major islands with
Google Street View. Go to Virtual Tour on the website:
Papahanaumokuakea.gov/education/center.html

20% off any service!
Offer expires 12/31/16. Participating stylists only.
Cannot be combined with other offers. Cannot be used
for weddings or group events. One per customer.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

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31

Hilo’s historic waterfront district is home
to landmark buildings, unique shops,
restaurants, galleries, museums, cultural
and interpretive centers, and lots of green
space. You’ll ﬁnd shopping, dining, and
entertainment, served local-style. Want
to experience aloha? Come to Hilo!
Find out more – Check out the new
online resource: downtownhilo.com
A project of the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association

STREET FESTIVAL
_______ ON HAILI
SHOPS
OPEN LATE
_______
MUSIC IN
THE STREETS
_______
AFTER-PARTY at
the Palace
Theater
_______
SELFIE
CONTEST
info: downtownhilo.com/blackandwhite
Sponsored by the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association

Find the
Calendar of Events,
First Friday
Happenings,
Comprehensive
Directory,
Things to See+Do
in Downtown Hilo,
and more, at:

How the Koehnen’s family roots correspond with a historic Hilo building

The old Hackfeld
Building, now
the Koehnen
Building.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

O

34

n the bustling street of downtown Hilo’s bayfront,
visitors and residents alike often stroll by a bright
green building that hugs the corner of Kamehameha Avenue
and Waiānuenue Street.
To residents, it’s called the “old Koehnen Building.” The
numbers “1910” protrude from the upper part of the facility in
bright white lettering, alluding to its antiquity.
These days, most people are drawn to this iconic location for
the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center (MDC), an interactive museum
honoring Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, or to
visit one of the other stores located nearby.
What some may not know is this edifice significantly symbolizes
one family’s history. Until recently, 92-year-old Fred J. Koehnen
and his family owned the 106-year-old building when he sold it to
Giuseppe “Joe” Mamone of G.E.K. Mamone & Sons LLC, a former
tenant of Fred’s. The transfer marks the end of an era for Hilo and
the Koehnens.

Building “Anew”

A lot has changed since brother-in-law Carl E. Rohner and Fred
bought the building for F. Koehnen, Ltd.

For starters, the family’s well-known furniture store no
longer occupies the space. In its place is the MDC, that acts
as an arena for excited children eager to play with one of the
many interactive displays and visitors looking to learn more
about the National Monument. (see story on page 26)
The MDC took over the facility in 2014, and Fred has said
on multiple occasions that the center was a “match made in
heaven.” Fred was quoted in multiple newspapers describing his
enthusiasm for the MDC, saying it was a perfect way to give back
to this small island community.
A few doors down is the newest resident, The Locavore Store.
Owners Catarina and Arthur Zaragoza-Dodge became tenants
when they decided to move locations from Pāhoa during the June
27, 2014 lava flow.
Catarina says what impresses her the most about the building is
its historic elements.
“The big staircase we have in there was originally built by the
same guy who built the staircases on the Titanic, which is crazy!”
she says joyfully.
Next to The Locavore Store is a jewelry shop called Anela’s
Jade and in the back is where the new owner holds his flooring
samples. Joe says he used to sell his floors out of the Koehnen’s

and Building
| By Megan Moseley

The outside of the old Koehnen Building on a sunny Hilo day.

A view of the main floor of the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
as seen from the historic Koehnen staircase.

old furniture store and moved in the back when the store shut
down. After purchasing the building, he says he really doesn’t
have any plans to change the place.
“I’m just going to leave it as it is for now,” he says.
Like everyone else who knows the Koehnens, Joe describes
them as “a really good family.”
Arguably, nobody in the Koehnen Building knows this family
better than Kellie DeRego, who has worked for the Koehnens
since she was 17, 38 years ago.
“They’ve known me from my high school days to right when I
got married to when I had my daughter. When she was a baby
I would bring her to work with me and she would be in my desk
drawer,” she jokes. “They’re wonderful to me. I love them.”
So how is it that this adored family landed in Hilo and how is it
that the Koehnen Building came to be?

An older photograph of the Koehnen family.

If Walls Could Talk

If the walls of the Koehnen Building could talk, it would be a
story of how one German immigrant made his way across the
globe only to find a home in the middle of the Pacific.
Fred’s father, Freiderich “Fritz” Wilhelm Koehnen, was born in
Bremen, Germany. He was an only child who, according to Fred,
Visitors enjoy the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
in the old Koehnen Building in Hilo.

had a somewhat difficult upbringing that inspired him to search
for greener pastures.
So, in 1908, at the ripe age of 19, Fritz traveled across the
Atlantic Ocean to Ellis Island. From there, he journeyed through
the mainland by railroad and finally ended up in Hawai‘i by ship.
He landed in Hilo and went to work as a bookkeeper and general
clerk for H. Hackfeld & Co., one of the main suppliers and owners
of sugar plantations at the time.
Owner Heinrich Hackfeld, a German sea captain, eventually
acquired the entire block of land on the bayfront through to
Shipman Street (located behind the Koehnen Building). He decided
to build what would come to be known as the “Hackfeld Building,”
and many years later would become the Koehnen Building.
In 1910, the Hackfeld Building came to life. It was built by hand
with a concrete basement and concrete perimeter walls. According
to a document provided by Fred, the walls consist of 12-15 inches
of concrete reinforced with embedded steel rails that were two
stories high. Some of the floors were made from ‘ōhi‘a.
Koa wainscoting and a grand koa staircase were later
constructed. The building was located across from the main Hilo
railroad that ran all the way to Volcano and up the Hāmākua
Coast. One could only imagine what Hilo must have looked like
during those days.
After only two years in Hilo, Fred’s father Fritz had to move
back to Germany to serve a mandatory year of service in the
German army. He loved Hawai‘i and didn’t want to leave, but as
fate would have it, all was not lost. While back in Germany, Fritz
A fish tank in the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
located in the old Koehnen Building in Hilo.

ended up meeting the love of his life.
The story of how Fred’s mother, Katharine “Kate” Bocker, and
his father met could be a romantic classic on its own. Their paths
crossed while taking ballroom dancing classes, they fell in love,
and got engaged. They planned to move back to Hawai‘i and get
married. Fritz left for Hilo in hopes of bringing the future Mrs.
Koehnen over as soon as possible. However, with the onset of
World War I, it would be seven years before they could say
their vows.
Katharine stayed in Germany until 1921, when she could finally
make her way to Hawai‘i. Knowing almost no English, she also
traveled across the ocean to Ellis Island, and then made her way
across the United States mainland by train before making it to
Honolulu by ship. Fred’s father was waiting for her upon arrival
and they got married that day.

“When one considers the long distance engagement that
extended over seven years with only spotty letters over that
span, it speaks of the now forgotten culture of a past era when
commitment was truly commitment,” says Fred.

As History Would Have It

Prior to Katharine’s arrival, Congress had enacted the “Trading
with the Enemy Act” and all German-owned assets in America
were confiscated, including H. Hackfeld & Company where Fred’s
father worked.

The Koehnen family gathers for the opening
of the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center.

The company was sold to a consortium of Honolulu
businessmen who renamed it “American Factors,” later shortened
to Amfac. Amfac became one of the notorious “Big Five,” the
largest businesses in the Territory of Hawai‘i who were known for
dominating politics and the economy during that time.
The trade of the company resulted in Fritz losing his job. Lucky
for him, he had established relationships with other businessmen
in Hilo and he was able to find work as a bookkeeper for several
businesses in town, including the Hill Optical Company. The
company was owned and operated by former politician and
businessman W.H. “Doc” Hill.
Fritz continued to work with the Hill Optical Company
throughout the 1920s, when Fred and his sister were born. By
1929, Fritz took over the company and created F. Koehnen, Ltd.
He transformed the business into a store that would sell home
amenities such as fine china, crystal, and eventually furniture.
They operated out of a building on Kamehameha Avenue and the
business continued to grow during World War II.
Time marched on and Fred ended up joining the military while
his sister married army officer Carl Rohner. Carl later joined forces
with Fred and his father to help manage the business. They
continued to operate out of the same location until the tragic
1946 tsunami hit the island.
When the tsunami struck it destroyed much of downtown Hilo
and many of its buildings. While the Koehnens’ business survived
relatively unscathed, other businesses suffered greatly. The
Hackfeld Building also survived the catastrophic event, however,

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

37

the wave wiped out its lumberyard and building materials facility.
That was enough to cause Amfac to move, leaving the Hackfeld
Building up for grabs.

Coming Full Circle

By 1947, Fred joined the family business to help relieve his
father who was suffering from some health problems. His sister,
Helie H. Rohner, remained as part of the overall management. It
was truly a family business.
Less than a decade later, in 1956, Fred and his brother-in-law
decided to buy the old Amfac building. Thus completed the story
of how the Koehnen Building came to be.
“The building went full circle,” he says.
For years they sold tableware, giftware, and furniture in what
is now the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center. The business survived
another tsunami in 1960. This time they weren’t as lucky.
Fred jokes that “the worst part was cleaning up the mud,
debris, fish, and eels left behind!”
In 1964, Fred left the family business, handing it over to his
sister and her husband.
The family name grew in recognition and they eventually
branched out to the west side of the island. As the years passed,
things changed. There was no family left who were interested
in continuing the business, so the shop “reluctantly closed.” The
Kona branch shut down in 2009 and the Hilo store closed its door
at the end of 2012.
In an article about the building, Fred reflected on the moment:

“Thus ended the saga of over 83 successful years of retailing on
the Big Island.”
One can only imagine the nostalgia Fred and his family has
for the building. To those passing by, it may just look like another
old Hilo structure, however, to the Koehnens it will always be so
much more.
It will always be, in one way or another, home. ❖
Contact writer Megan Moseley: meganr.moseley@gmail.com

A visitor enjoys information at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
in the old Koehnen Building in Hilo.

The Spirit
of Kohala

Lives on at the
Christmas Lū‘au

T

| By Jan Wizinowich

he story of the Hawi Christmas Lū‘au is the tale of a
plantation community finding and holding its heart.
Although sponsored by the Mormon Church, the entire
community participated, beginning weeks in advance. You offered
what you had, whether it was something from the garden, a
special skill, or the labor of your hands.
“The branch president would decide when the lū‘au was going to
be and then have a meeting to work on it. Theyʻd go out and ask
people and they’d say, ‘No worry. We take care.ʻ Everybody knew
about it. It was the talk of the town,” says Aunty Audrey Veloria,
retired Kohala Elementary teacher.

Beginning Traditions
The first Hawi Christmas Lū‘au was held at the original church
site in Niuli‘i, just past Keokea Road on the left, which featured a
gym as well as a chapel.
“The church always had a lot of activities; dances, sports, and
all that. I came back here and became the branch president in the
60s and they already had the lū‘au going,” says George Hook.
The Christmas Lū‘au was a time of inclusion and connection.
Although plantation life at Niuli‘i was organized around various

ethnic camps, the preparations and the events leading up to it
brought people out with offerings of aloha.
“My dad was telling me before when they had all those
different ethnic camps, they would go from camp to camp
and it was just a celebration of different traditions. He used
to go with Elmer Lim and they would serenade all the different
camps. My dad would dress up in one pāpale (hat) and he
would take one of my gram’s mu‘umu‘u and he would sing
and dance,” says Gwen (Tita) Sanchez, daughter of
Armstrong and Gwendolyn Yamamoto.
When plantation life changed, so did the location of the
church and the lū‘au.
“It had to do with the transition of plantation camps. They
used to have camps all over Kohala and then they were moving
it out to subdivisions by the main road—Kynnersley, Hala‘ula.
Everybody was moving away from Niuli‘i,” says George.
The community needed a new center and Bill Sproat decided
to do something about it.
“Bill went to Mr. Sterns, the manager of Kohala Sugar
Company, to propose a deal that would give the Mormon Church
the gym (now True Value Hardware in Hawi) and the property
around it,” says George. “Because of the faithfulness and
the quality of the LDS workers at that time the management
decided to give the church the gym and all the surrounding
property for a really good price,” he adds. That was in 1961 and
by 1963 a new chapel had been built and dedicated.
39

Aunty Audrey as emcee at the
2015 Christmas Lū‘au
at the Kohala Village Hub.

Kapeliela. Before they didnʻt have string or foil to put it
in so you learn the old way. He would show us how to tie
it in. One day, he was given the assignment to do it. His
grandfather and his brother came and tried it and said,
‘Okay. It was good’. It had to pass them before it could
go out.”
Agnes Aniu was the maven of kulolo (Hawaiian taro/
coconut pudding).
“This is something that was so remarkable about this
lady. We would make so much of it that they would be in
#3 galvanized tubs. She would go from one tub to the other
and take a sample and say, ʻOh, this one needs one cup of
The first Hawi Christmas Lū‘au was held at the original church site in Niuli‘i.

Connecting with
Food and Feeding the Soul

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

There was more happening than just food preparation. The
lū‘au food came from the land and the knowledge and traditions
of the kūpuna (elders). “It’s a good time to pass on tradition. The
Hawaiian way of teaching is to do. They learn to bond with older
people by being there,” says Uncle Earl Veloria, retired Kohala
teacher and basketball coach.
Armstrong Yamamoto and his wife Gwendolyn took care of
some of the essentials such as laulau and the imu.
Their daughter Gwen says, “I remember when it was in Niuli‘i
in the chapel and my dad, Armstrong Yamamoto, telling us that
he learned to make the laulau from his grandfather, Solomon

40

Aunty Agnes Aniu

Christmas Lū‘au skit

sugar.ʻ Then sheʻd go to the next one, ʻOh, this one needs one
cup of honey.ʻ How she came to that, I donʻt know, but when it
was cooked, it was all delicious. She had a touch. Her own way of
identifying and tasting,” says George.
For lū‘au, according to Earl Veloria, “You need pork and you
need poi.”
The pork was often supplied by the Sproats who monitored the
beach trail where the pigs tended to run.
“We had a source of poi from up in the mountains,” says Earl.
This was Rose Loke and Shoichi Maeda’s lo‘i in Pakulea Gulch.
“Itʻs a type of poi thatʻs not served anywhere else. Only
Kohala. The taro is called pololū. It goes back many generations.
The common name among the Kohala people is bakatade. In
Japanese it means hard headed and it’s hard to work with. It feels
like wood when you grab a hold of it,” says Earl.

The poi was cooked in large drums and ground up several days
before the lū‘au.
“The bakatade stays fresh tasting for days. Most Hawaiians like
it a little bit sour. Itʻs an acquired taste,” says Earl.
When the taro was harvested, the lū‘au leaf tops could then be
used for laulau. “Sometimes we had chicken laulau. They cut up
whole chickens so you couldnʻt just put it in your mouth without
the other hand pulling out bones. No store bought chickens,”
says Earl.
Along with being the captain of the imu, Armstrong harvested
the ‘ōpae (shrimp).
“My father would go up in the mountain in the stream and they
would catch the ‘ōpae in nets. He had the eye to see it and we
couldnʻt even see it,” says Gwen. “Mom cooked the crab, the ‘opihi
(limpets), and the ‛ōpae with garlic and Hawaiian salt,” she added.

Cooking up Stories
“The cooking took place right here. Right in the back of the
chapel here. I used to like that because weʻd stay up all night
and talk story. All the different things about parents, grandparents
and all the different Hawaiian traditions would come out,”
says George.
The lū‘au leaf stems were chopped and cooked up for a late
night snack. “They would cook the lū‘au leaf stems and make kind
of a stew. They knew that the laulau would be cooking all night,
so they would come and sit and visit and that little ono (good)

The Isaacs Art Center features some of the finest Hawaiian

and Asian art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
promising young people from Hawai‘i in realizing their
educational goals.

Come see Martha Greenwell’s magical holiday “Mouse House”

on display at Isaacs Art Center from November 8, 2016 to January 7,
2017. The artifacts featured in the display are from the attic and tool

food was there for the work men. Then they had hot water for
Hawaiian tea and cocoa,” says Audrey.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Final Preperations as Family and
Friends Gather

42

The spirit of the Hawi Christmas Lū‘au calls absent family and
friends home.
“It was the coming home to what we remembered. The
excitement of knowing that your friends, your cousins are all
working together. I remember carrying the pakini (bucket) on the
stairway going into the gym and laughing,” says Gwen. “It was a
gathering of everyone,” she adds.
All those away from home organized their lives by the lū‘au,
not wanting to miss the chance to reconnect, infusing them with
aloha for the next year.
“The families would schedule to be here at that time. Wherever
they were, they would try to figure out how to get home for
Christmas. The true gift was the interactions and the stories that
made you feel part of something, that you belonged,” says Audrey.
Like the food preparation, folks made use of resources at hand
for decorations. Someone cut a tree that was decorated with
whatever could be found. Maybe tinsel one year and chains and
popcorn. The tables were constructed using the gym’s bleachers
placed on saw horses.
The center of the tables were adorned with ti leaf, ferns,
plumeria, and ginger.
“Ti leaf with fern evolved over the years and we started looking
around the community and worked with what we had. Anything
we had. Mac nut leaves, pine cones, pine tree branches. One year
Jenny Cheesbro crocheted little ornaments,” says Audrey.
It wouldn’t be a lū‘au without music and so a stage was added
to the preparations.
“The stage had a platform, steps up the side, curtains and
bamboo and banana for backdrop,” says Audrey. “Every family
presented a number and when they started everybody got
inspired and it just kept going,” she adds.
Inspiration came easy with the plethora of musical families from
Kohala: The Lim’s, Poli‘ahu’s, Kupuka‘a’s, Pule’s, Sproat’s, and
Manuel Kapeliela.
Of course it wouldn’t be Christmas without Santa.
“They would sing to invite him to arrive. Sometimes Jingle Bells
five times and then they would hear the bell. The Santa suit was
worn every year and whoever helped Santa with it had to do a
little make up work. Maybe it was too long and it was starting to
fray or maybe it needed a wash. No matter,” says Audrey. “The
gifts were simple in a brown bag. Candies from Nakaharaʻs and
maybe a tangerine.”

People brought their specialties to share. Jenny Chesebro made
red, green, blue haupio.
“Mary Ann Lim would make her Lincoln pudding. It was a recipe
her family kept for years and years,” says George. “You could
know the ingredients but you wouldnʻt know the special touch
that was in it. Family secret,” adds Earl.
“And then all the mea ‘ono (cakes), from the people who made
them good. You had the Filipino noodles and Japanese sushi,
Chinese red pork,” says Audrey.

Changing with the Times
Although the gym is no longer available, the Christmas party
continues to be an annual tradition at the Mormon Church.
“Times have changed. The community has gotten smaller, some
have moved away. Some have passed on, so we have a different
generation today,” says George. “As far as the Christmas party, we
have it every year and we invite people to come,” he adds.
Two years ago, Lehua Ah Sam, then Programs Director of the
Kohala Village Hub, decided to bring back the lū‘au.
“I knew that we needed an event to “friend-raise” in the
community, so I went to talk with our grandfather Henry Ah Sam.
He suggested to me that I look into the Christmas Lū‘au, a fond
memory of his as a child growing up. Our first Christmas Lū‘au
was successful because all the community groups came together.”
Much like the previous lū‘au, the Christmas Lū‘au at the Hub is
a showcase of year-long endeavors and community activities and
includes Hawaiian music, hula and an array of crafts.
“Every year a different group handles the food. All traditional
Hawaiian. Last year it was the seniors from Kohala High School.
The families were all involved,” says Traci Figueroa, Hub Programs
and Events Coordinator.
“It’s an event that brings our Kohala community together. The
event was a huge success. We plan to continue to work with our
community to throw a wonderful holiday event, celebrating those
things that make Kohala, Kohala.”
“Connecting the community. That’s what the Hub is all about,”
says Traci.❖

The Christmas Lū‘au is being held on Dec. 18, 2016 from
5:30–9:30pm at the Kohala Village HUB Barn. The tickets are:
pre-sale—$20 Kūpuna and Keiki, $25 General; $30 at the door.
There will be a silent auction from Halau O Ka Maolana and
the HUB ‘ohana, live entertainment and pictures with Santa for a
donation of food for the Kohala food basket.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Christmas Lū‘au gym, now True Value Hardware.

43

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boutiques. It’s a pairing made in paradise.

Guinness World Record holder
Aunty Betty Webster
shares her Waimea home
with a few friends
and a vast collection
of sunglasses.

| By Catherine Tarleton

A

unty Betty Webster and I are having lunch at a local
restaurant. She walks in, grabs two menus, and sits in the first
booth, facing the door. Aunty, Waimea’s official “sunglass queen”
is sporting big bright yellow shades with pinup girls in the corners.
Everyone who comes in smiles at her.
“Have a seat anywhere you like,” she says to a customer. “The
menus are right there, and the girl will be with you in a minute.”
A German couple comes in, wife looking a bit nervous. “The
restrooms are over there,” says Betty, always the hostess.
The waitress brings her a Pepsi, substitute for her preferred
choice, Coca-Cola, one of what she calls her “five vices.” We order
sandwiches and fries, and she changes sunglasses, stowing the

pinup girls in their drawstring bag and pulling out a glittery gold
pair she’s chosen to accessorize her outfit. Her eyes fill the double
O’s in “COOL.” She’ll change a couple more times before we leave.
Betty has the world’s largest sunglass collection—1,506 to date,
and growing. On October 2, 2015, she was awarded the Guinness
World Records certificate proclaiming hers the largest collection of
sunglasses in the world, and her achievement “Officially Amazing.”

1999
“I was working at the Bay Club, doing crafts, dancing hula, and
teaching hula,” Betty says. “They hosted a New Year’s party for

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

1500 shades of Aunty Betty Webster

47

1/2 page (3.5w X 9.75v) Proof 2: 5/19/16.

Design Copyright by MARKETING SOLUTIONS NORTHWEST. All rights reserved. 509) 927-9965
Some of Aunty’s shades,
like the Hula Dancers pair,
were handmade for
special occasions.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

the guests and came up with these glow-in-the-dark glasses that
said 1999. They had 2000 the next year, and I was working at
Koa House Grill at that time. I called my niece and asked her to
look in the computer and see if they have these funky glasses.”
Her niece certainly did find the funk, as did friends and family
members, and a growing fan base, always on a hunt for the most
unique and outrageous.
“I started wearing glasses as a conversation piece, just to make
people smile, to make them laugh,” she says. “When I got to 500,
I thought, ‘I want to get into the Guinness Book.’ And when I got
500, I thought I’d better go for 1,000.”
Betty worked as a hostess for some of Waimea’s favorite former
restaurants: Koa House Grill, Daniel Thiebaut, Pakini Grill, and
Tante’s, as well as Mama’s House Thrift Store.
“The customers would look for them and bring them or send
them to me. I used to go to Vegas too, and the next thing you
know I got to 1,000 in no time and said to myself, ‘I think I’d
better go for 1,500.’”
She has them all—Elvis, Uncle Sam, monsters, and Minions.
Some have windshield wipers that work. Some light up. Some are
homemade for special occasions. Several are R-rated. One oddly
artistic pair, covered in barnacles, was found by her son Barry at
the bottom of the ocean.
“My goal is to get to 3,000. Because I’m 87 right now, I want to
see if I can get it before I turn 90,” she says with a smile.

48

The Uncle Sam glasses
come out for the 4th of July,
and there are shades in the collection
corresponding to every holiday.

Sunglasses of every imaginable color,
shape and style are sent to Betty
from her friends and fans
around the world.

“I kept on dancing and dancing till I was older,” she says. “I
danced at Waikīkī, at the Academy of Arts on Beretania Street,
during the war at the USO, the YMCA. We went to different camps
and performed for the soldiers.”
Her kumu had left O‘ahu when the war started, so she and
some of her hula sisters went to Kumu Bill Lincoln. “He was a
famous singer and hula instructor at the same time as Maiki Aiu
was in the business,” says Betty.

Working Girl

Betty graduated from Maryknoll High School, Class of 1948,
and went almost immediately to work at Pearl Harbor as a clerk.
She worked her way up to being secretary to the “big chief,” the
civilian in charge of her department.
“He had so many groups under him. All the trades, like

Small Kid Days

pipefitters and welders,” says Betty. “When he retired, I saw all
these ‘apprentices’ coming in and making more money than me,
and I thought ‘there’s something wrong with this system.’ I told
the outgoing boss I wanted to go into blue collar.”
“I became the Tool Room attendant for Shop 06,” she says.
“I had to learn what they all were, but it didn’t matter. I knew
a lot of the boys. Oh, I knew what a hammer was, but if it was
something like a specific drill bit, I’d say, ‘You know what brah’,
come this side and get it yourself.’”

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Betty Lei Maile Solomon was born on April 25, 1929, and raised
in Kalihi on O‘ahu by her mother Mary Agatha Yap. Her father,
Arthur Solomon, had joined the National Guard during WWII and
was injured in France. “He saved his troop when a mine blew up.
He was in Letterman’s Hospital in San Francisco for years. After
his discharge from the military, he moved in with some friends
because he did not want to be a burden for his family,” says Betty.
I asked if she remembered the attack on Pearl Harbor.
“I used to stay with my aunt, and we got 25 cents to put in the
collection plate at church,” Betty recalls. “Somehow we always
got change—dimes and nickels. Beretania Street had this okazuya
(In Japanese, okazu is food with rice, and ya is store) with sushi,
sweet potato, and things for five cents. When we came out [of
the shop] we looked up in the sky and saw all these planes going
over. We said ‘What are they doing? God is punishing us ‘cause
we didn’t put all the money inside the collection plate!’”
“When we got to my aunt’s home, she said ‘Get in the house
and close the door. Japan just bombed Pearl Harbor!’ Then we
had to stand in line to buy poi.”
She learned to dance hula at age nine, when her mother took
Betty and a cousin to classes taught by Kumu Hula Tom Hiona.
They danced at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in the 40s, when
renown falsetto singer George Ka‘ainapau was performing there.

Sporting her gold “Cool” shades in a local restaurant,
Aunty greets every customer who enters.

49

On the weekend, she was in charge of all of the tool shops,
and had to ride a bicycle between them. It was the only thing she
didn’t like about her job.
“I would put it up against the building, hold it there and push
off,” Betty says. “I had to wear a hard hat and safety glasses. The
boys would see me and say ‘Hey Betty!’ and I’d say ‘Shut up.’”
One boy she did not tell to shut up was Jack Webster from
Hawai‘i Island. They met on the volleyball court, on opposing
teams. She doesn’t remember who won the game, however,
she never forgot the tall, handsome Scotsman. It was love at
first sight.
Not long after, Jack took a job picking strawberries in California.
He went to see her father in the hospital, who afterward wrote to
Betty. “He said, ‘Don’t marry him. He’s an alcoholic.’”
Betty says. “I wrote back to him, ‘It takes one alcoholic to see
another one.’”
The two were married and raised four boys, Jack Jr.,
George, Barry, and Duane. The three oldest went to
Kamehameha Schools.
“Duane is a surfer,” says Betty. “When he had his interview
and they asked him why he wanted to go to school there,
he said ‘I don’t; my parents do.’”
She proudly tells me that Duane now teaches autistic
children to surf, traveling all over the East Coast. “I tell him
‘you were meant to do that, even if you never went to
Kamehameha School.’”

Changes

Betty coordinates
her sunglasses
wardrobe with a
mu‘umu‘u from her
collection of 300.

She and Jack talked about moving to Hawai‘i Island when he
retired. They visited in 1996—when Betty retired after 33 years
at Pearl Harbor—and he drove her to where his family had lived,
Pāhala. Betty says she dozed off and missed it.
She had a sister-in-law in Waimea and Betty loved it there,
even though Jack thought it was too cold. “I told him, ‘I ain’t
living any other place but Waimea,’” says Betty. “I didn’t tell him I
had arranged to put in a heating system.”
Jack had scheduled heart surgery in Honolulu later that year.
Betty and three sons came to Waimea to transfer the Hawaiian
Home Lands property and get it ready for Jackʻs arrival. Duane
stayed in Honolulu. Tragically, Jack injured himself in the hospital;
he suffered torn stitches and severe bleeding then went into a
coma, and died about 3am.

It took Betty about a year to get back to Waimea. She was
uncertain; felt like she had no friends there and nothing to do.
Meanwhile, her son Jack had a position with Tupperware, and
encouraged her to try selling the products to get out of the
house and be with people. She had all kinds of reservations, but
“Everybody was so nice, I got into the spirit,” she says. “They
made me feel comfortable.”
Time passed, Tupperware sold, and Betty went to Waimea.
She remembers looking at the yard, the grass overgrown into
the flower beds.
Originally from Hawai‘i Island, Jack Webster met future wife
Betty Solomon on O‘ahu, while she was working at Pearl Harbor.

“I worked in the yard little by little,” she says. “I cursed at my
husband and said ‘look what you got me into. I never had to work
in the yard before!’”
However, she kept at it, bringing the house in Kūhiō Village to
life with her flowers, her little dogs, her collection of Coca-Cola
memorabilia, stuffed animals, and eventually her sunglasses.

51

“Once you get married and have a family, that’s it,” Betty says.
“You’re confined until the children get older, then you have to go
look for a job, and what kind of skills do you have? Don’t raise a
family yet, until you can get yourself established and have some kind
of fun. Once you commit yourself, those good young days are gone.”
Somehow, I would bet Aunty Betty has plenty of good young days
left—to collect her 3,000 sunglasses, and make people smile.❖
Contact writer Catherine Tarleton:
catherinetarleton@gmail.com
Lola, a constant companion,
poses for a photo at Aunty Betty’s feet.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

and great-grandmother of four. She volunteers at North Hawai‘i
Hospice every week and goes to Las Vegas as often as she can.
She’s also a breast cancer survivor since 2014.
After our lunch, she tells me she has a lot to do to get
ready for the weekend. She’s going to O‘ahu to attend a lū‘au at
her granddaughter’s law school, and her son’s hānai son
Lance’s daughter’s wedding. That means different mu‘umu‘u
(from her collection of 300) and assorted shades to coordinate
with each outfit.
Before she goes, I ask if she has any advice for young women,
just starting out.
“If kids nowadays are smart enough, they would try to continue
school if they can,” she says. “If you can go to college, that’s
great, you’ll have better opportunities to get a job.” She would
also advise girls to enjoy being single for a while.

52

Also not camera-shy, Momi welcomes
visitors to Aunty’s Waimea home.

Albert Shimizu

Haruyoshi Akamatsu

Satoru Omoto

Wilbert Okada

Home Grown to Fulfill a Need
Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union
| By Fern Gavelek

usinesses come and businesses go, however, the Hawaii
Community Federal Credit Union (HCFCU) endures after
80 years. With a charter membership of struggling coffee farmers,
the credit union has evolved over eight decades to serve people
from all walks of life. How it came to be is a story of caring,
necessity, and enterprise.
After the U.S. abolishment of contract labor in the early 1900s,
Kona became an attractive haven for former sugar plantation
workers wanting a different life. According to The Kona Coffee
Story: Along the Hawai‘i Belt Road, Japanese coffee growers were
80 percent of Kona’s coffee farming population in 1910 and by
1930, Filipinos were 12 percent of Kona’s population and “the
second largest work force in the coffee industry.”

These independent-minded workers either picked coffee for
farmers, or leased land and sold their coffee to a mill. Either way,
the coffee industry was a major economic driver and its rigor
dictated everyday life along the slopes of Hualālai and Mauna
Loa—the Kona Coffee Belt.
After the U.S. entered WWI, coffee prices soared and Kona
farmers enjoyed prosperity. Coffee growing was a family venture.
Everyone was enlisted, young and old, to prepare the fields, plant
and prune the trees, pick the red-ripe coffee cherries, process the
fruit, dry the coffee parchment, pack and deliver.
Starting in 1932, public schools observed a later “summer
break” from August to November, so keiki (children) were
available to work harvest time.
Grand Opening Day in 1973 when the KCFCU opened a
modern Kealakekua Branch with a wave roof design.

In 1947 the credit union rented a coffee shack as the main office.
It was located next to where the Kealakekua Branch is today.

Yoshiichi Ujimori

Visit Historic Holualoa Village
Coffee & Art Stroll!

Sat. Dec 3rd Music & Light

Festival!

Pat
Pe a r l m a n
Designs

Sculpture to Wear
since 1971
in the historic

PatPearlmanDesigns.com

Kona Hotel
10am-6pm
Monday-Saturday
Sunday 10am-3pm
808-990-5686

H o l u a l o a H a w a i i . c o m

Contemporary, fine arts, and craft pieces.
Furniture custom designed and made for your application.

4 miles south of Holualoa Village on Mamalahoa Highway
Try look! www.KeauhouStore.com Ph 322-5203

f o r

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Sat. Nov 5th

WORKSHOP

11am to 4:30pm
Tues - Saturdays

Holualoa Village
See more at: HolualoaHawaii.com

Saturday, November 5, 2016
The Holualoa Village Association’s
18th annual Coffee & Art Stroll, co-produced with the Kona Coffee Farmer’s
Association, helps kick off the Kona
Coffee Cultural Festival with free coffee
samples from nearly 40 local coffee
farms, many presented on the front
lanais of the upcountry town’s
historic buildings and all along a halfmile of Mamalahoa Hwy. 9 am ~ 3 pm.

Celebrating
102 Years

Window shopping
at the Music & Light
Festival. (Right) John
Keawe at the Kona
Hotel last year.

Saturday Evening
December 3, 2016

Historic Holualoa Village lights up
at dusk with its 20th annual Music &
Light Festival, featuring local slack key
guitar, ukulele and vocal holiday
music throughout the town.
Just before sunset Santa arrives in his
convertible sleigh and greets keiki from
his tent next to the Holualoa Gallery
in the center of town all evening. Over
two dozen of the festively lit classic
wooden buildings, many of which are
now art studios and galleries, host free
refreshments and holiday specials until
the event closes about 8:30 pm.

Join us for First Friday Art-After-Dark evenings from 5:30~7:30
November 4th and December 3rd! Photos, videos and map at:
www.HolualoaHawaii.com

When the Great Depression came to the Territory of Hawai‘i
in the 1930s, about 25 percent of Hawai‘i’s labor force
was unemployed.
The coffee market was hit hard as people could only afford
necessities. Coffee prices declined, drastically reducing workers
pay and profit.
Kona farmers sought relief from the few local banks to save
their farms—which to some, was their only means of income.
Tragically, some farmers defaulted on their loans and lost
everything. The number of Japanese farms dropped from 1,070
to 600 between 1930 and 1940.
In 1936, 10 concerned coffee farmers stepped up and founded
the Kona Farmers Federal Credit Union (KFFCU), the predecessor
of today’s Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union (HCFCU).
Charter members were Haruyoshi Akamatsu, Yosoto Egami,
Satoru Omoto, Albert M. Shimizu, Yasuki Nakagawa, Wilbert C.
Okada, Walter M. Tanaka, Yoshiichi Ujimori, Kiyoshi Oka, and
Takeo Matsumoto.
According to HCFCU records, original credit union member
Yoshito Fukumitsu recalled, “From about 1927 until 1935, these
were rough times. The price of coffee was so cheap. Maybe $3
or $4 for a 100-pound bag of cherry. We had debts every year.
That’s when we started to think of something we could do to help
each other. So we organized the credit union.”

The John Y. Iwane Credit Union Center,
better known at the Kaloko Branch,
opened to community fanfare in 2006.

times and for retaining the labor force in Kona. “Otherwise, there
These financial pioneers, who felt they had to do something to
would have been an outflow of people to work elsewhere,”
help their fellow neighbors, thought the concept of a credit union
seemed a good fit as it resembled the Japanese idea of tanomoshi he says.
Born to a family of plantation contract laborers who went into
or “pooled income funds.”
coffee, Yasunori details how KFFCU made a difference: “After
In addition, Congress had recently given legal status to credit
fulfilling the terms of a labor contract, workers could remain an
unions, institutions organized of people who join their resources
employee or go independent. Some families tried pineapple or
to help each other. Credit union members usually live in the same
tobacco, but coffee did the best in Kona. It was hard for these
area and are connected in some way—by a club, occupation,
school, or company.
Demonstrating the age-old adage, “when there’s a will,
there’s a way,” the founders researched how to start a credit
union and secured the help of the University of Hawai‘i
Cooperative Extension Service and a representative from the
National Credit Union Administration.
With humble beginnings, the new credit union boasted
43 original members who paid 25 cents to join and bought
Then the largest
shares priced at $5 each.
credit union in
The credit union operated in the old Kona Experiment
Hawai‘i, KCFCU
was the first to
Station in Kainaliu, sharing space, and also the on-site,
construct its own
part-time employee, Evelyn Yates. Soon, the credit union
building in 1955 in
Kealakekua.
relocated to a one-room office in Captain Cook across from
L–R: Patrick
the Manago Hotel—where Greenwell Park is today.
Masutomi, Peter
Hirata, Yasunori
Yasunori Deguchi staffed the new office as KFFCU’s first,
Deguchi, Mitsugi
full-time employee. He was 22 years old. A decorated WWII
Inaba, Matsuko
Onaka, Paul
veteran who served with the 442nd, Yasunori worked at the
Sakamoto, Nora
credit union for nearly 40 years, retiring as vice-president in
Koyanagi, and
Harry Chow.
1985. He feels the founding of the credit union was “key”
for keeping Kona’s coffee industry afloat during the difficult

immigrants (who had worked on plantations), to get financing and
go on their own.”
It didn’t take long for the community to appreciate the efforts
of KFFCU and soon farmers of other crops and then local
community members wanted to join. This was a win-win as the
new credit union depended on its member’s purchase of shares to
have available cash for loans.
In 1939, the institution opened its membership to the
community and changed its name to the Kona Community Federal
Credit Union (KCFCU). The membership jumped to 362 and assets
increased 400 percent to $18,267.
In 1955, KCFCU boasted being the largest credit union in the
Territory of Hawai‘i and also the first to build its own office. The
modest, $30,000 Kealakekua building was constructed of lava
rock and redwood and housed four employees. In 17 years, this
building was replaced with a $750,000 facility sporting a “wave”
design to symbolize the ocean and future. During construction
of the 7,000-square-foot building, operations moved above the
Kainaliu bowling alley. When the Kealakekua Branch opened in
1973 it was hailed as “the most modern structure in Kona.”
Troubled times came to North Kohala in 1973 when the Kohala
Sugar Company closed its doors leaving over 500 unemployed.
The closure shuttered the Kohala Federal Credit Union, which
formed in 1939 to serve sugar workers and their families. KCFCU
merged with that institution and welcomed its members into the
KCFCU ‘ohana.

Located at 74-5450 Makala Blvd
Gateway to Historic Kailua Village
www.konacommons.com

With membership stretching along the leeward side of the
island, the credit union expanded its charter to service the entire
Hawai‘i Island and was renamed the Hawai‘i Community Federal
Credit Union.
A couple years later, HCFCU merged with the Pā‘auhau Federal
Credit Union after the areaʻs sugar plantation closed its doors.
Proud of its storied beginnings, HCFCU chronicles its unique
history on four, floor-length murals at the John Y. Iwane Credit
Union Center, better known as the Kaloko Branch.

Nellie Medeiros, corporate development and marketing manager
of HCFCU, sizes up the murals by referring to the old saying,
“You have to know where you came from to know where you
are going. You have to know who you came from to understand
who you are.” She also likens it to the Hawaiian ‘ōlelo no‘eau
(proverb): “I ka wa mamua, ka wa mahope,” meaning “The future
is in the past.”
She elaborates: “The generation that started HCFCU has long
passed on and the current generations of millennials know our
history through words and stories. The murals are important as

KCFCU employees on the
job from left back: Yasunori
Deguchi, Nora Koyanagi,
Matsuko Onaka, and
Patrick Masutomi with
Mitsugi Inaba and Lilly
Ushihoda in the foreground,
1960.

they bring our history to life and perpetuate the efforts of our
founders. They show how far we’ve come and how much we’ve
grown.”
Nellie’s family has deep roots with the local coffee industry
stretching across multiple generations. She says her husband
Clarence’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Don
Francisco de Paula Marin, is credited with bringing the first
coffee plant to Hawai‘i. Arriving to Hawai‘i in the early 1800s,
Don Francisco was admired for his botanical experiments and
coffee came to Kona due to his agricultural endeavors. The family
continues to grow coffee today.
Because of HCFCU’s philosophy of “being people of a
community who join together to help each other,” the institution
and its employees support several charitable organizations and is
especially active with the annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.
“Because we share the same coffee roots and legacy, HCFCU
supports the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival to preserve our mutual
heritage,” explains Nellie.
HCFCU has been a festival supporter for more than 25 years,
providing financial sponsorship and “sweat equity” for multiple
activities like the scholarship pageant and the Grand Parade.
This year, the credit union is coordinating the festival ho‘olaule‘a
on November 12. The daylong celebration offers entertainment,
food booths, Kona coffee vendors, cultural demonstrations and
exhibits, educational displays, and more.
“Our support helps ensure the festival continues to be not only
an opportunity to promote and perpetuate the heritage of Kona

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

59

60

KeOlaMagazine.com | Novemberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2016

Coffee, but an event
that contributes to
hometown pride—not
to mention it’s a great
wholesome time for all
ages,” notes Nellie.
Sharing her feelings
about how HCFCU
came to be, Nellie
muses, “I feel proud
and privileged to
to
be a part of a financial
institution whose
courageous start
was founded on the
philosophy of people
helping people and that
vision has not changed
from what it was 80
years ago. It is special
to me, because the
philosophy of working
together so everyone benefits is a timeless venture. I personally
know the struggles of coffee farmers and the health and
continuation of the coffee industry is essential to the economy of
West Hawai‘i as a whole. HCFCU’s support of those farmers is our
way of remembering where we came from.” ❖

Floor-length historical murals share the 80-year
history of the credit union at the Kaloko Branch
in Kailua-Kona. photo by Fern Gavelek

Spirits of Ocean
and Land
Wayne Levin and
Jozuf Hadley
team up for
multi-media
exhibit at
Kahilu Theatre
| By Karen Rose

on Culture and Arts, the two joined forces on a
project to create photographic slides set to pidgin
poetry. After completion of the project, Jozuf moved to
Vermont to teach and the two lost touch.
In 2014, more than 40 years after Wayne and Jozuf
first collaborated together, the two were reunited by local
photographer Kathy Carr, who asked both artists to join the
South Kona Artists Collective. When the two discovered they
were both asked to be a part of the collective, they looked
forward to seeing one another again and rebuilding their
friendship.
Upon reunification, they had the idea to do another artistic
collaboration and contacted Deborah Goodwin, Executive
Director of Kahilu Theatre, who encouraged them to display their
exhibit at the theater.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

W

hat do a pidgin poet and an
underwater photographer
have in common?
In the case of Wayne Levin and Jozuf
Hadley, it’s a love of the spiritual aspects
of artistic expression. This fall, the Kahilu
Theatre in Waimea presents Spirits of
Ocean and Land, a collaboration of Levin’s
black and white underwater photography,
and Hadley’s sculptures and poetry.
Wayne and Jozuf met in 1974. Jozuf was
known for his full body cast sculptures and
pidgin poetry, and Wayne for his photography.
With funding from the Hawai‘i State Foundation

63

“Wayne Levin and I are good friends,” says Deborah. “I’ve
had the privilege of free diving with him in Kealakekua Bay, and
have witnessed first hand how he is able to capture the world
under the sea as he does. When I learned his work at the White
House was voted the number one best photography exhibit in
Washington, D.C. in 2015, I knew we had to bring him back to
Kahilu Theatre. I’m so glad he said yes, and brought another
Hawaiian treasure with him in Jozuf Hadley.”
Wayne describes Jozuf’s contemporary tribal sculptures as
representing indigenous terrestrial spirits, and his images of
marine animals as representing spirits beneath the surface of the
water. This spiritual commonality is the theme that runs through
their new exhibit about terrestrial and aquatic spirits of Hawai‘i.

Photographer Wayne Levin
Born in Los Angeles in 1945, Wayne became interested in
photography when his father gave him a Brownie camera and
a kit to develop his own film for his twelfth birthday. After high
school, he attended Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa
Barbara. He left Brooks in 1964 to become more involved in the
Civil Rights Movement, and to work with the Congress of Racial
Equality and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.
In 1968, he moved to O‘ahu and subsequently took a year and
a half off to sail the South Pacific and explore Asia and Europe
with camera in hand. Wayne documented his travels through
photography, and later took an additional six months to explore
Japan, Korea, Mexico,
and Central America.
The images he captured
during his travels
became a part of his
first exhibit at Gima’s
Art Gallery and The
Downtown Galleries
in Honolulu.
In 1983, after
receiving his BFA in
photography from
the San Francisco Art
Institute and his MFA
from the Pratt Institute
in Brooklyn, he moved
back to O‘ahu to teach
at University of Hawai‘i
Mānoa.
“When I graduated
and got a job at the
University of Hawai‘i,
I purchased an
underwater camera as a
present to myself,” says
Wayne. “I did some
color photography of
Circling Akule
surfers underwater, but
I wasn’t very happy
with the results. It was murky, and basically the only color I got
was blue. I decided to switch back to black and white and it
kind of opened everything up. Not only could I really control the

contrast, but it also abstracted
the ocean and made you question
whether you were looking at
clouds in the sky or waves in
the ocean.”
In 1986, Wayne started the
photography program at La Pietra
Hawai‘i School for Girls on O‘ahu,
where he taught as an artistin-residence.
A year later he received an Ohio
Arts Council artist-in-residence
at the Dayton Art Institute.
Upon completion of his two year
residency, he returned to Hawai‘i
Island and at the suggestion of
a friend, began photographing
dolphins in Kealakekua Bay. Thus
began his reconnection with
underwater photography.
Since then, Wayne has solidified
his reputation as a black and
white underwater photographer.
His numerous credits include
magazine publications, book
awards, and exhibits in national
and international galleries,

Oceanic Whitetip Shark with Pilot Fish

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

65

or amazement, but when it’s possible, I’m always looking to
incorporate some kind of social edge.”

including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Museum of
Photographic Art in San Diego, The Contemporary Museum in
Honolulu, and the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and
the Arts.
“I think color photography relates more to the reality you see,”
says Wayne. “With black and white, it’s removed from that reality.
It becomes more dreamlike, more emotional, because it’s different
from the way we normally see things. I think black and white
makes it more surreal.”
In 2009, Wayne was invited by Dr. Randal Kosaki to accompany
the research cruise of the NOAA vessel Hi‘ialakai to the
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. One of the
most isolated archipelagos in the world, he was honored to have
the opportunity.
“I try to keep a social consciousness going through my work,”
explains Wayne. “Sometimes the work is just about beauty

66

Jozuf Hadley, or Bradajo (Brother Jo) as he is known, creates
wood assemblage sculptures that he feels reflects the themes
of the indigenous peoples of Oceania though a modern lens. He
collects the medium materials in varying locations, from Hawai‘i’s
beaches to family attics.
In addition to his sculptures, he also writes and performs poetry
in Hawai‘i’s Pidgin English.
“I was moved to collect little bits of wood along the shore lines
that had been manipulated in some way by man—so basically, I
collect stuff,” explains Jozuf. “A number of my pieces are reflective
of what we call ‘Tiki’ or ancient Hawaiian temple carvings.”
Born on Kaua‘i, Jozuf developed his love of nature, music, arts,
and the spirituality of ancient Hawai‘i through his mother. He
considers his art a pursuit of magic that allows him to imagine
an arrangement of natural objects and salvaged goods, thereby
create pieces from those materials.
Jozuf’s mother was a librarian on Kaua‘i for 45 years and
he credits her with influencing and encouraging his interest in
ancient Hawai‘i. However, it was his enrollment in art history
courses at the university that solidified his appreciation for the
depths of human creativity.

Chief Jenga

Jozuf credits the beginning
of his spoken word creations
to an experience he had in the
summer of 1969, while doing
graduate work in sculpture at
the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa.
He and three of his friends
climbed Alakai Swamp Trail on
Kauai‘i with the goal of following
one of the tributaries into the
swamp. After a couple of days
of intense climbing, Jozuf’s
friends were ready to quit.
“We had reached an impasse
where there was a vertical moss
covered wall, and we could hear
a waterfall on the other side. I
thought maybe it was a way to
get into the swamp, so I went
by myself,” says Jozuf.
On his solo adventure, Jozuf
experienced what he described

Venus

as an epiphany—a powerful soul
drenching awakening that moved him
to start writing pidgin poetry.
Pidgin languages are grammatically
simplified languages that develop
out of necessity between two or
more groups of people that have no
language in common.
Hawaiian Pidgin is no longer
considered a pidgin language, rather a
legitimately recognized language that
evolved from real pidgin languages
once spoken among different ethnic
groups in Hawai‘i. Hawaiian Pidgin is
now an official language in its own
right—a true “lingua franca” or fusion
of languages into one distinct tongue.

“I call my pidgin voice
‘Bradajo’—all one word,”
says Jozuf. “That’s
what my foster father
called me when I was
a teenager because I
would erupt into this
crazy pidgin. I write my
poetry in bold cursive
with a wide, black pen.
It was a vision that
came to me, and it
reflects my unconscious
sense of how we talked
on the playground
among my multi-ethnic
classmates.”
Jozuf has created
six books and 10 CD
recordings during the
past 40 years, and will
have some of them on
hand at opening night
of the exhibit at Kahilu
Theatere.
(translation from the poet) Forget the you you always
remember, so you remember the You you always forget!
“End the end, we
just have to listen quietly and something creative will happen,” he
says. “When we reach that point, it brings us to a place that has
no words. It’s the mystical part of ourselves. It’s a part of who
we are. I tap that part of myself, and somehow it comes out in
pidgin. I don’t know why, it just does.” ❖
The opening reception for Spirits of Ocean and Land is
Thursday, Nov. 10 from 5–7pm. The exhibit closes Wednesday,
Dec. 21. Accompanying this exhibit is “Transcending Palms,”
featuring award winning fiber artist, Shelley Hoist.
Contact Kahilu Theatre: KahiluTheatre.org
Contact photographer Wayne Levin: WayneLevinImages.com

Hawai‘i Community Foundation
celebrates a century of helping
Hawai‘i Island

| By Denise Laitinen

The Hawai‘i Community
Foundation West Hawai‘i
Fund was established
in 1990 by the West
Hawai‘i Donors’ Group
consisting of, Left to
Righ: Roberta Transue,
Virginia Isbell, Gloria
Blum and Bill Wong. Not
pictured: Alan Wilcox.

HCF works with donors of all sizes—some are individuals who
want to connect with reputable charities or a family that wants
to give back to the community while honoring the family name.
Others are collaborative funding partnerships, like the East Hawai‘i
and West Hawai‘i Funds.
HCF handles all the administrative, financial, and grants
services, making it easier for people to contribute to a charity of
their choice.
For decades, HCF quietly went about supporting various
nonprofit groups on O‘ahu and the neighbor islands. For instance,
in 1963 Mary Wilson Crawford left a legacy gift to establish a fund
supporting Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy and two arts program on
O‘ahu: the Honolulu Symphony and Honolulu Academy of Arts.
Three years later, Alice Soper made a sizable donation to the
Foundation that enabled HCF to provide grants for many years
to organizations on Hawai‘i Island that help children with special
needs and the elderly. Her donation enabled HCF to provide grant
funding to organizations like the Bay Clinic and Hawai‘i Island
Adult Day Care.
The Foundation underwent major changes in 1987 when it
was given its current name, Hawai‘i Community Foundation,
and restructured with the creation of a Board of Governors and
multiple trustees.
Hawai‘i Island residents have been involved in HCF’s Board
of Governors from its inception with Robert Fujimoto of Hilo
appointed to the board in 1987.
Foundation leaders at the time saw that a large public
foundation could amplify its philanthropic efforts greater than
many smaller funds. Shortly thereafter, they created donor

N

onprofit organizations can impact our lives in so many ways
that we aren’t always aware of how much we benefit from
their services.
For 100 years, Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) has been
helping nonprofit organizations statewide, including dozens on
Hawai‘i Island. Yet, most people are unaware of the breadth and
depth of the community work done by HCF.
In the past five years, Hawai‘i Community Foundation has
distributed more than $18 million in grants and scholarships to
nonprofit groups across Hawai‘i Island. Funds from HCF have
touched nearly every aspect of life on our island from helping
support community hospitals, to providing financial literacy
training to the homeless, to offering more than 200 different
scholarships to island students.
Hawai‘i Community Foundation got its start back in 1916 on
O‘ahu when the Hawaiian Trust Company formed the Hawaiian
Foundation, in order to distribute funds that weren’t tied to
someone’s will or trust to those in need.
Business and community leaders who want to give back to the
community, bequeath money in their estate or make donations to
the foundation that go into a fund, which in turn are donated to
local nonprofit organizations and scholarship programs.

Kealakehe High School STEM
Team works with PISCES Moon
RIDER to design a NASA project.

advised funds, creating grant programs that connected the
interest of a donor with specific needs in a community.
For example, in 1996, Oscar and Ernestine Armstrong
established a donor advised fund that supported organizations
such as Family Support Services of West Hawai‘i, The Salvation
Army, the Boy Scouts, and the Food Basket.
Philanthropic efforts on Hawai‘i Island increased even more in
1990, when a group of West Hawai‘i community leaders consisting
of Gloria Blum, Virginia Isbell, Roberta Transue, Alan Wilcox, and
Bill Wong created the West Hawai‘i Fund and “Monty” Richards of
Kahua Ranch was appointed to the HCF Board of Governors.
Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s impact on Hawai‘i Island really
kicked into high gear when the organization opened its first office
on island in 2000.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

“Like so many O‘ahu-based entities, the neighbor islands were
beneficiaries to a degree of giving, but it was all anchored on
O‘ahu,” says Lydia Clements, HCF’s Director of Neighbor Islands
Philanthropic Services, describing the early decades of HCF’s
community work.
“Our work truly became statewide, when we created the
neighbor island offices back in 2000,” adds Lydia. The first HCF
neighbor island office opened in Waimea in 2000, with additional
offices on Maui and Kaua‘i following soon after.
“Before that we were statewide in mission, but we did not have
full-time staff on the ground in the neighbor island communities.
All of us on neighbor islands know that you need people who are
active in the community to really understand what a community’s
needs are.”
A Hilo office and additional Hawai‘i Island staff were added
in 2015 and they now have four full-time staff between the two
Hawai‘i Island offices.
During the past century, Lydia says the Foundation’s biggest
accomplishments have been in the years since they opened the
Waimea and Hilo offices.
“Because we’ve been around for a while and we have four fulltime staff on island, people come to us to figure out what’s really
needed in the community and how to make the impact that they
want to make.”
All total, Hawai‘i Community Foundation has 88 funds specific
to Hawai‘i Island, 31 of them scholarship funds. HCF manages the
different funds, ensuring that donations are invested prudently to
make long-lasting impacts.

72

Some of the funds are designed to support specific fields, such
as environmental issues or education, while others are more
general. Advisory committees comprised of community volunteers
help distribute grants from different funds.
“We really help donors make the impact they’ve always wanted
to make,” explains Lydia.
She points to the Clark Realty Corporation Community Fund
(CRCCF) as an example of one of the dozens of funds the Hawai‘i
Community Foundation helps on island. The Clark Realty Fund
was created in 2005 after the company’s founder, Putnam “Putty”
Clark, approached HCF inquiring about how his company could
give back to the community.
“CRCCF was conceived by our founder, Putty Clark, as
a company-wide program of giving back to the Big Island
community that would appeal to our agents and staff and perhaps
even to our clients,” says Frank Goodale, President of Clark Realty.
Frank says the company decided to partner with and set up
a fund under the umbrella of the HCF because, “they are wellestablished and a respected leader in managing charitable giving
throughout our state.”
Every year Clark real estate agents and staff nominate different
nonprofits around the island that support programs focused on
lifelong learning, the arts, healthy lifestyles, and environmental
awareness as recipients of the Clark Fund. The company then
holds a fundraising drive during the fall.
For example, in 2015 the Clark Realty Fund designated six
different organizations, including the Chamber Orchestra of Kona,
Hospice of Hilo, Kohala Animal Relocation and Education Service,

Orchid Isle Orchestra, Kohala Hospital Charitable Foundation, and
the Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawai‘i program.
Clark agents, staff, and others make donations directly to
the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, which in turn manages and
distributes the funds to the nonprofits.
“That fund has a lot of contributions from the folks at Clark,”
says Lydia. “With our help they make their donations have a
bigger impact.”
The entire circle of giving stays on island: a local business
involving employees to give back to the community in which that
business is based and the employees live.
The reasons why someone might create a fund with the Hawai‘i
Community Foundation are as varied as the funds themselves.
Dr. Frank Sayre and Laura Mallery-Sayre teamed up with HCF
to create the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Fund in 1998 after their
son died in a hiking accident. One of the better-known Hawai‘i
Island funds managed by HCF, the Sayre Foundation has raised
more than $1 million since its inception with the funds directly
purchasing needed rescue equipment for Hawai‘i County
Fire Department.
Another example, is a scholarship created by Isemoto
Contracting in 2006 to celebrate the company’s 80th anniversary.
“They decided that they wanted to support fields of learning
that were important to the family, not just the family business,”
explains Lydia. “Engineering is one of the fields that they support
through their scholarship, as well as nursing and teaching.

“Different family members have been teachers and another
family member is a nurse who provided wonderful care to
their aging relatives. The family wanted to honor those family
members by supporting more people entering the nursing and
teaching professions.”
As HCF has grown over the years, so too has the number of
scholarships it provides to island youth. There are more than 200
scholarships that Hawai‘i Island students can apply for every year.
In the last 15 years, HCF has awarded more than $55 million to
students statewide. In 2015, the Foundation awarded $1,012,950
to 211 Hawai‘i Island students.
This year’s HCF scholarship application period runs November
15, 2016 through January 31, 2017 at 4pm HST.
All the scholarships are different. For instance, the F. Koehnen,
Ltd. Scholarship Fund was created in 2005 by the Koehnen family

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The Isemoto family established a scholarship fund with HCF
in celebration of Isemoto Contracting's 80th anniversary.
Leslie Isemoto (far left) and Larry Isemoto (far right) with
Kyle Buyuan and Kirsten Uchima, the first two recipients of
the Isemoto Scholarship in 2010.

to honor the founder of
the well-known furniture
store. Their scholarship
supports students of
families that work in
retail businesses.
Meanwhile, the H.C.
Shipman Foundation
created a scholarship
fund in 2004 to honor
the memory of Herbert
C. Shipman, who ran
the company from 1943
to 1976. The Shipman
scholarship is only
Helie Rohner (front) with daughter Karyl Frank
available to students
and brother Fred Koehnen. Together they
established the Koehnen Ltd. Scholarship Fund.
from Kea‘au High
The scholarship is only open to students
School or Ke Kula ‘o
whose family members work in retail.
Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki
Laboratory Public Charter School.
The good news is that students don’t have to navigate their
way through the 200+ different scholarships offered by the
Foundation—they only have to submit a single application.
“We have one common application that students fill out and
submit,” explains Lydia. “The HCF computer system acts similar to
Match.com in that it matches them with the scholarship that they
are eligible for.”
Providing scholarships to students to pursue higher education is
just one part of HCF’s educational efforts.
“A part of what HCF does is create partnerships to tackle tough
issues,” explains Lydia. “Things evolve really, really rapidly these
days and we need to adapt to conditions changing around us
whether it be technology or health care.”
Helping to train both educators and students for the challenges
of tomorrow is another way HCF supports the community.
In 2015, HCF launched the Hawai‘i STEM Learning Partnership,
a collaborative effort involving nine different Foundation funds to
advance STEM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math)
teaching, learning styles and experiences that are most needed in
the current and future workforce.
“We clearly have the ability for high-tech employment on
Hawai‘i Island and this fund helps us train both educators and
students,” says Lydia.
With initial financial funding from the Thirty Meter Telescope
through the THINK Fund at HCF, the fund quickly grew after
people saw the momentum that was created in the teaching
community and the classrooms. There are now nine major
funders supporting the partnership, including the THINK Fund,
the Hōkūli‘a Community Fund, Kūki‘o Community Fund, Maunakea
Observatories, Richard Smart Fund (Parker Ranch), two private
foundations, and two individual donors. Created a year ago,
the fund has distributed $1.2 million on island to project-based
learning opportunities specific to STEM fields.
“Preparing students for the ever-evolving technological changes
and helping them become lovers of life-long learning is what we
are working on through this STEM partnership on Hawai‘i Island,”
says Lydia.
One of the programs receiving STEM funding from HCF is the
mini-MERIT and MADE program, a partnership between University

of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Continuing Education and Community
Service (CCECS) and the Krause Center for Innovation (KCI) at
Foothills Community College.
The mini-MERIT and MADE programs target teachers in grades
3–12 as a way to ensure that Hawai‘i will be able to meet its
future workforce demands by having teachers who understand
STEM education and can effectively teach STEM curricula to
students who will eventually fill STEM related jobs.
The mini-MERIT program is designed to support teachers by
training them in how to use the latest technology applications so
they can in turn teach their students how to use different types
of technology.
The MADE Science program trains teachers to integrate
technology into their science curriculum.
So far, the mini-MERIT and MADE programs have trained 70
Hawai‘i Island teachers, 40 in East Hawai‘i and 30in West Hawai‘i,
who underwent weeklong training. The one-week intensive
program is tailored to a school district’s educational technology
goals, starting with a needs assessment to understand the
teacher’s skills and needs. The hands-on program is structured to
bring educators up to speed on topics that include digital literacy,
integrating online and tablet apps into curriculum, student and
educator collaboration tools, and more.
“When you talk about the 100 years of work done by HCF, the
STEM program stands out as one of our biggest achievements,”
says Lydia, “and it’s only on Hawai‘i Island.”

As the Hawai‘i Community Foundation enters its second century,
programs such as its STEM fund help Hawai‘i Island residents
prepare for the future. ❖
Contact Hawai‘i Community Foundation:
HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org
Contact writer Denise Laitinen: Denise@DeniseLaitinen.com
Photos courtesy Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Youth in the
Pa‘auilo Boys
and Girls Club
Akeakamai
Aloha Aina
program used
chemistry and
sustainability
concepts
to concoct
home-made,
biodegradable,
cost-effective
laundry
detergent.

This year’s HCF scholarship application period runs
November 15, 2016 through January 31, 2017 at 4pm
HST. Applications for grants and scholarships must be
submitted online.
The application period to apply for upcoming STEM
Learning Partnership grants opens on December 1.

THE 10th ANNUAL

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On Hawai’i Island, call: 808.982.8322
Toll-free from the mainland, call: 866.982.8322
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8:30am - 11:30am

Bring your Dogs for the games, photos and contests - The dog walk will be on Valentine’s Day

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Tropical Flowers and Arrangements
Send the gift of Aloha with East Hawai’i delivery

Great Prizes for the dog/cat-human team
who raises the most for rainbowfriends
Silent auction,
Demonstrations Agility, Cat Dance
Frisbee Contest, Kickball for Dogs
Photos with Santa, Games + Contests
Live Music & Ono Food

75

H AWA I ‘ I C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D AT I O N H I S T O R Y O N H AWA I ‘ I I S L A N D
2003: Barry Taniguchi is appointed to the
Board of Governors. His service continues
for 12 years, including two years as Board
Chair. • Gerrit R. Ludwig Scholarship
Fund is established.
2004: Local attorneys, Darl Gleed and
Bill Hastings join the Hawai‘i Island
Leadership Council. • Pahiki Nui Fund
established by Clytie Mead. H.C. Shipman
Scholarship Fund established.
2005: F. Koehnen Ltd. Scholarship Fund
is established. Hapa Fund is established
to support Waimea. • Sarah Rosenberg
Scholarship Fund is established. • Laurie
Ainslie of Waimea appointed to the
Board of Governors and joins the Hawai‘i
Island Leadership Council. Clark Realty
Corporation Fund is established.
2006: Isemoto Contracting Co., Ltd.
Scholarship Fund is established. • Stan
Czerinski Education Fund is established
by his wife Grace and son Todd. • Arthur
Mullaly Fund is established. • John and
Roberta Garcia Fund is established. • Lynn
Lally joins the Hawai‘i Island Leadership
Council. • Hilo Chinese Scholarship Fund
is established.
2007: Kahiau Scholarship Fund is
established to provide scholarships to
graduates from North Kohala High
School. • March Taylor Education Fund
is established by the family and friends

of Auto Body Hawai‘i. • Roberta Chu
and John DeFries join the Hawai‘i
Island Leadership Council. • Shelley
M. Williams, RPh Scholarship Fund is
established in memory of Kona’s only
compounding pharmacist.
2008: Hokuli‘a Foundation Scholarship
Fund is established to support students
from Kona. • Kevin Kai‘ea Pavel
Memorial Fund is established by parents,
David and Cheryl Pavel. • Quack Moore
Music Fund is established. • Livable
Communities Fund is established. • Jim
and Lynn Lally Family Fund is established
to support charitable organizations on
Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu.
2009: Prisby Geist Charitable Fund is
established to support the charitable
interests of their family. • Kazuma and
Ichiko Hisanaga Scholarship Fund is
established.
2010: Sadamitzu, Milly, Fred and Leatrice
Yokoyama Family Fund is established
with a legacy gift from Fred Yokoyama. •
East Hawai‘i Fund is established; initial
fund advisors include Roberta Chu, Brian
Iwata, Alan Okamoto, Fred Koehnen and
Carol Ignacio. • When the Mainstream
Runs Dry Fund is established. • Brian
Iwata and Lynn White join the Hawai‘i
Island Leadership Council Darrin and
Darien Gee Family Fund is established.

Mele Kalikimaka and happy holidays
from Hawaii Water Service Company

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Proudly providing high-quality water
and wastewater utility services to
Hawaii since 2003

2011: Jacquelyn and Alcy Johnson Fund is
established to support the North Hawai‘i
Community Hospital and North Hawai‘i
Hospice. • Richard Smart Scholarship
Fund is established to support Waimea
students who are the first to attend college
in their family. • Linda and Steve Marquis
Fund is established to support various
charitable interests in the West Hawai‘i.
• Kawakami Family of Captain Cook
Fund is established to support the coffee
industry in Kona.
2012: Jack’s Fund is established in memory
of Jack’s community involvement.
2013: David Kaapu and Alan Okamoto
join the Hawai‘i Island Leadership
Council. • Anderson-Beck Kokua a Ulu
Fund is established to help cultivate the
human and natural environment. • Wesley
R. and Phyllis E. Segawa Family Fund
is established. • Guy Toyama Memorial
Scholarship Fund is established. • Stanley
and Renee Tomono Family Fund is
established.
2014: THINK Fund at HCF is
established to support STEM education.
• Hawai‘i Affiliates of Sotheby’s
International Realty Charitable Fund
is established. • Stein Family Fund is
established by a legacy gift from Barbara
McDonagh. • Stein Family Scholarship
Fund is established by a legacy gift made

This page is for Ke Ola readers to have FUN
while learning about the Hawaiian culture
and this wonderful island we call home.
Some answers are in English, some are in
Hawaiian.
Some answers will be found when you read
the stories and ads in this issue.
Feel free to use the online Hawaiian
electronic library.wehewehe.org
Oh yes, you can find the answers
on page 95.
Your feedback is always welcome.
HIeditor@keolamagazine.com

DOWN
1 Like many cakes and pies
2 Peak of a mountain
3 Hello! to a bro
5 Finish
6 Hawaiian word for a spear
7 No vote
8 The second C in HCFCU
11 Silence, in Hawaiian
12 Hawaiian word for joy
13 Hawaiian word for shadow
15 Refresh
17 Actor _____ Harrington, who plays Det Ben Kokua in
“Hawaii Five-O”
18 It means hidden meaning, in Hawaiian poetry
19 Letters before a British ship
20 That is, for short
23 Northwest Hawai‘i Island district
24 Scar or depression in Hawaiian
26 To seek life in Hawaiian (2 words)
27 Hawaiian taro/coconut pudding
28 The value of perseverance and renewal
29 Provided money for
31 Hawaiian word for outrigger float
32 God or spirit in Hawaiian
35 Hawaiian word for hand wrestling
38 Raise

Worldwide Voyage
Leg 23 brought Hōkūle‘a to Sorel,
Quebec, Canada—the
furthest north that she will travel
on the Worldwide Voyage.

As Hōkūle‘a navigated through the most extensive and
complex lock system of her voyage, she has traveled
through an incredible 61 locks.
Varying in heights and sizes, a lock is a sophisticated
waterway system used for raising and lowering watercraft
between bodies of water of different levels on rivers and
waterways. Hōkūle‘a and her crew have gone through
rising levels of up to 420 feet and back down as she
continued on her journey.
“The most memorable locks were Lock 17 of the Erie
Canal and the Chambly Locks. With Hōkūle‘a at 19.5 feet
wide and the locks being the widest at 21 feet, left us with
less than a foot of clearance on either side,” says Kalepa
Baybayan, captain of Hōkūle‘aʻs Leg 23 of the Worldwide
Voyage. “We entered and exited with a lot of control and
without incident. I'm extremely proud of the Leg 23 Crew
for meeting that challenge,” Kalepa praised.

Hōkūle‘a crossed paths with Draken Harald Harfagre,
the world’s largest Viking ship from Norway.
Two different traditional voyaging canoes from
opposite ends of the globe are on a similar mission of
connecting the ancient ways of sailing with modernday exploration.

Sept. 3—“The mission was to prove that it
is possible to sail the ocean with a Viking
ship. We knew that before, because we got
findings from [Viking explorer] Leif Eriksson
around year 1000 in North America, many
years before Christopher Columbus found
India,” said Captain Bjorn Ahlander of the
Draken Harald Harfagre as he described
the start of his crew’s journey.
“The mission was to prove that it was

possible to go the historic voyage from
Norway to Iceland, Iceland to Greenland,
Greenland to Newfoundland, and we did it,”
Bjorn stated.
“A lot of people do not move far from
where they come from, and I think that’s
a pity because people all over the world
are different, we can learn so much from
each other,” said Erik Rolfmoller, deckhand
for the Draken Harald Harfagre. “The

exploration and the development you go
through personally when you go exploring
is very important,” Erik added.
Named after Harald Harfagre, the king
who unified Norway into one kingdom, the
dragon ship was constructed in the town
of Haugesund in Western Norway in March
2010.
Crafted from oak, itʻs a 114 feet long, 80ton ship with a 3,200 square foot sail.

Sept. 14—Passing through the 34th lock
to get to the upper Montreal area of the
St. Lawrence river, Hōkūle‘a docked at
her first marina within a Native Reserve—
the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake,
Quebec, Canada.
The Mohawk community is home to the
immersion program whose leaders helped
pave the way for Hawai‘i’s immersion
program in the early ʻ80s. Dorothy Lazore
was instrumental in establishing the
Mohawk language immersion program in
Kahnawake and spoke before Hawai‘i’s
Board of Education on the day that Hawai‘i

DOE’s immersion program was approved—
­a program that has become a model
nationally and internationally.
This gathering was yet another
opportunity along the Worldwide Voyage
to honor the collaborative work being done
in native communities to keep indigenous
knowledge alive and relevant to the world
around us.
Additionally, the crew of Hōkūle‘a, the
founding members of Aha Punana Leo—a
Native Hawaiian nonprofit dedicated to
revitalizing the Hawaiian language for
future generations in Hawai‘i, and the

Mohawk community hope to inspire and
perpetuate native knowledge and language
for generations to come.
“As you were telling us just how we
helped you and how we were an inspiration
for your people, and how our teachers
went out to help you to revitalize what
could have been lost in one generation
or in two,” said Kanentokon Hemlock,
Bear Clan Chief of the Kanonsonnionwe
Long House. “It’s interesting because you
inspire us. We look to you. We follow your
inspiration too in all the work you have
been doing in your land.”

Managing with Aloha
‘Imi ola is “to seek life.”
Our purpose in life is to seek its highest form.
Fourth in Series Two on Managing with Aloha.
Ke Ola Magazine Editor Renée Robinson at Skip Barber Racing School, Laguna Seca Raceway, 2001

‘Imi Ola: We are meant to be Seekers

| By Rosa Say

I

We need the value of ‘Imi ola to keep us from resting on our
laurels, so our business will be vibrant and dynamic, consistently
interesting and relevant, and constantly growing.
This is not to suggest that you need to grow bigger in size;
a company considered a “small business” can have much more
vigorous growth in scope, in capacity, in innovation, and in
service provided to customers than a much larger one.
In fact, a common challenge faced by big business is that they
struggle to remain as nimble and as immediately responsive as
smaller companies.
A reinventor will never suggest they are indispensable to their
organization. When the real story gets told, we discover that
the reinventor stopped doing the job they were hired for a long
time ago. They taught others to do it, delegating it successfully,
or they reshaped the system or process that once required their
involvement in another sustainable way.
In adopting the seeker’s habits of looking for new benchmarks,
noticing their nuances and applications, the reinventor is
constantly working their own succession plan. They are on the
move, and no one can stop them.
Support your reinventors. If ‘Imi ola is not included as one
of your core company values, I encourage you to incorporate it
into your all-staff development mentoring, into your innovation
initiatives, and into your own self-coaching.
Don’t be that business person “still on the job” who has
actually retired within it, parking abandoned vehicles in the
organization. You are capable of more. Human beings are meant
to be seekers.
If you are that person’s boss, why in the world are you letting
place-holders drag your company down in that way? Mediocrity
kills business. Don’t wait another day: Put ‘Imi ola to work
for both of you. Every person your retirement-mode manager
currently affects will jump for joy as work gets more interesting
again, and more meaningful. So will your customers, for they
feel the ripple effects of ‘Imi ola inspired performance.
One day, your once-complacent manager will thank you for
lighting the ‘Imi ola fire under them as well, for their life has
gotten much more interesting.
Next issue: We revisit Ho‘omau, the value of perseverance and
renewal.
Contact writer Rosa Say: RosaSay.com, ManagingWithAloha.com

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

admit it: I jump to an either/or conclusion when I learn
that a manager has worked in the same position and same
company for a long time, and they are not that company’s owner
or founder.
I conclude they are one of two kinds of business people. I
can’t stop myself, the coach in me starts to look for the evidence
of which type of manager they are.
On one hand I feel compelled to coach, genuinely wanting to
shake them by the shoulders and help them; on the other hand
I’m eager to congratulate and celebrate, for being the person we
in business can always be—I am genuinely thrilled to know they
don’t need my coaching at all.
I wonder: Is this long-term manager way too comfortable and
dangerously complacent—a place-holder, blockage, and company
artifact—or is this manager an ‘Imi ola reinventor?
A reinventor is an Alaka‘i Manager who is the ‘Imi ola seeker
of life’s highest form, using his or her job as the race car they
drive exceptionally well on their journey. Sadly, the complacent
manager stuck in the place-holder’s comfort zone has stopped
looking for life’s possibilities altogether, and is snoozing in park.
How long has it been that way?
A reinventor discards their documented job description on a
regular basis, whether sanctioned by company bureaucracy or
not, effectively writing a new one for themselves with Ho‘ohana
work in ‘Imi ola on overdrive. A reinventor is a relentless seeker
of different, insatiably curious, believing that better is always a
possibility in a myriad of new choices.
A reinventor is in perpetual growth mode, pushing at the
boundaries of what is, and turning their job into what it has
the potential to be. They may remain in the same company
and same position, yet very little of what they do today is
the same as it was last year or the year before. They keep
asking questions and learning more. They keep disrupting the
modus operandi and changing it up. They keep forging new
partnerships, and enlarging their network. As a result, their
circle of influence keeps growing larger, and they excel in
their performance.
Which person are you?
One of the most damaging things to happen in business is
self-inflicted: We settle.
‘Imi ola is Managing with Aloha’s value driver for goal-setting,
mission, and vision. These must be iterative explorations.

81

Lale and her ‘ukulele group
performing at the monthly
Afternoon at Hulihe‘e Palace.
photo by Renée Robinson

Lale Kam:

Walking Sunlight, Living Aloha

| By Kate Kealani H Winter

Lale, 1988

Lale and Raymond’s wedding,
June 1957

L

performed at private parties and events
around O‘ahu. A photo taken then
shows Lale in a cellophane skirt that
cost $45, with that “Lale” smile.
Lale studied in Honolulu with
Sally Woods, who was also kumu
(teacher) at the Polynesian
Cultural Center. Lale notes
that her life has moved in
intersecting lines like the
one that took her back to
Lale, 10 years old,
dancing in her first
Honolulu in 1976 and to the
professional costume
Polynesian Cultural Center
with the
Menehune Maidens.
to teach dance. In those
days, she was not paid in
money, but with admission
tickets that she generously
shared with her friends and
family.
In 1955, at the age of 21,
Lale left Hawai‘i for the U.S.
mainland. She and a friend
had signed a two-year contract
to tour in Las Vegas, Chicago,
and Florida. She cried all the way
to San Francisco, yet with her sunny
temperament, she determined to make
the best of the choice and the opportunity.
It was, however, a shock to her to witness
the prejudices there, especially against African
Americans and Jews. Looking back, she believes that she
was treated nicely, yet the introduction to racism was harsh in its
contradiction of the aloha Lale still lives.
Eventually, she arrived in Florida, where she spent 23 years
sharing her talents in lū‘au shows at the big hotels. It was an era
of enthusiasm when all things Hawaiian became an important
part of American popular culture.
In 1955, Lale reunited with her sister Lani in Florida in a group
called “The Vagabonds.”
They did lū‘au shows, and Lale was one of the dancers at a
lū‘au catered by a fellow named Raymond Kam. All the island

Kam Islanders—Lale is
second from the left,
standing next to her
husband, Raymond Kam.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

ale says her name means “sunshine”
in Hawaiian, which seems
perfect for this child of Hawai‘i, who
has spread aloha across the U.S.
for decades.
It also may refer to a
legendary bird known as a
sweet singer. Also perfect.
As a dancer, musician,
singer, and kumu (teacher),
Lale Kam has covered
the country, and beyond,
sharing her talents and
the music of Hawai‘i and
Polynesia with people who
might never get to see
those places in person.
Born and raised in
Honolulu, Lale lived a mile
from Waikīkī. Her older
sister, Ihilani “Lani” Miller,
took on the role of mother in
the ‘ohana (family) after their
parents separated, and managed
the house and the remaining seven
of 10 children.
Theirs was a musical family where
both mother and father sang. Lale recalls
those days before everyone in the family
had a car, all the kids sitting on the lānai making
music and playing until Lani started taking them to
Kuhio beach, where they would continue to play music while the
boys surfed, often at night.
Sister Lani’s well-known song Kuhio Beach was written about
the moonlight and good fun there, and Lale relishes telling the
backstory about the origin of that mele (song).
Lani had played hooky from school, and when questioned, gave
the excuse that she had been stricken with the inspiration to write
a song and just had to give in to that creative impulse. Their
parents insisted on seeing that song, and Lani quickly composed
it. Lale delightedly points out that it is about the pleasures of the
beach at night, not during school hours.
When Lale was 15 years old, Lani left home to make her way in
the world of Hawaiian entertainment, and Lale took on the role of
mother/manager of the household. It is a job she never resented,
as some teens might.
Laleʻs aloha and sunny outlook (her mother told her sister
that Lale was the “sweet” child in the family), along with her
organizational skills, kept things going along happily. Lale kept
a chart on the wall with chores and names assigned to them,
so everybody shared the work. Lale remembers that everybody
had fun: even with so many children, they had a party for every
birthday and holiday. No one was left out, and no celebration
was slighted.
Lale’s gifts for music and dance bloomed early. She began
performing at the age of 10 with a group that included underage
musicians and her sister Lani. The “Menehune Maidens” could
not perform at venues where alcohol was sold, however they

83

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

The Kam Family
L–R: Darin, Raymond, Tamray, Roray, Lale

84

Darin now lives in Kailua-Kona,
Tamray and Roray in Florida.

dancers noticed him, for his good looks and that he seemed like
he might be from home.
It turned out, he was from O‘ahu, and he noticed Lale, “the one
with the longest hair,” out of the group of dancers.
When they met again, he showed up in his well-worn 1929 Ford
and asked if she still wanted to go out. She says, “I would have
ridden the bus if necessary.”
The next time they went out, he arrived in his 1957
Thunderbird. Apparently, she had passed his test, and the
romance turned into a great match.
Months later, Raymond asked Lale to marry him. She gave
him every reason why she didn’t want to be a wife yet. The next
morning he told her family that they were getting married—much
to Lale’s surprise. Later, she gave him a list of terms, which he
agreed to, and they were married four months later.
In June 2017, Lale and Raymond will celebrate 60 years of
marriage. Their family includes three sons and five grandchildren.
Together they created the “Kam Islanders” Polynesian group,
and Ray learned to be a knife dancer to perform in their shows.
They were busy doing shows for Miami Grayline Tours and all of
the famous hotels in Florida.

1977 at Key Largo

Eventually, she and Raymond, her brother Ali‘i Noa and her
sister Ihilani Miller all had their own shows, performing at
different venues.
Lale also opened a dance studio in Hollywood, Florida where
she taught Hawaiian, Samoan, Maori, and Tahitian dance and
music. In a shop connected to it, she offered dance implements,
island jewelry and fashions, as well as treasures from the Pacific.
Lale’s early affinity for organizing made her a good business
woman as well. She and Ray opened the Hawaiian House
Restaurant that had her hula studio in the back, a shop in the
front, the restaurant, and their lū‘au catering business all under
one roof.
They put on one to two shows a night, Lale dancing, playing
guitar and ‘ukulele, acting as MC, making the costumes,
maintaining them, and training dancers. They performed for
the Grand Opening Spectacular for Disney World in 1971 at the
Disney Polynesian Village.
Even as their businesses grew, Lale also gave generously
to the community by doing programs in nursing homes and
fundraising for charities; including the Miami Children’s Hospital
and appearing on the Jerry Lewis telethon.

Lale and other volunteers create
beautiful flower arrangements to sell at
the annual Day at Hulihe‘e Fundraiser.
photo by Renée Robinson

air-conditioned bus with three musicians and her round-theclock bodyguards, the two weeks coincided with Bastille Day
celebrations. Lale performed the whole Polynesian array of dance
and instruments. Then it was time to return home to Hawai‘i, the
same day the Hōkūle‘a arrived from Tahiti.
As often happens in Lale’s life, “bubbles” (as she calls them)
intersect mysteriously. In Kailua-Kona, Lale and Ray bought a
house that they later discovered was across the road from the
house her mother lived in as a little girl before she moved
to Kaua‘i.
After beginning to work in Kailua-Kona real estate, Lale went
to work for Century 21 at the office that happened to be next to
where her mother’s ‘ohana had their beach house in the old days.
Truly, Lale had come home.
When she wasnʻt selling real estate or performing, Lale worked
at Hawaii Glass Tinting, the first glass tinting company on the
island started by she and her husband in 1978 .
At one of the annual Daughters of Hawai’i events at Keauhou
Bay (a celebration for Kamehameha III at his birthplace), Lale
was playing solo ‘ukulele. She asked if anyone would play with her
and offered to teach anyone who was interested. With that, her
weekly ‘ukulele class began.

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Sometimes in those Florida years, her renown led her down
unusual paths. Her agent once booked them to do a “rain dance”
in Orlando where there was a drought. The idea was to have
them perform some kind of fiery dance to entice the rain to put
out the flames and end the dryness. They hesitated because a
“rain dance” is not Hawaiian or Polynesian, however, the deal
was made. The local news heralded their attempt and urged the
public to bring raincoats and umbrellas. A police escort took them
to a shopping center, and they did their best. Newspaper clippings
tell how it poured down rain when they were done. Requests
came for them to repeat their success in other drought-stricken
areas, yet Lale and Ray stuck to their business of sharing aloha
and declined.
In 1976, Lale was honored by an invitation she felt she could
hardly accept at first: she was asked to go to Tahiti to represent
Hawai‘i just after the Hōkūle‘a—the Hawaiian voyaging canoe—
had left to return to Hawai‘i.
With Raymond willingly and ably taking care of their three
children and the businesses, Lale made the trip to Tahiti
with her sister Ihilani as chaperone. Touring the island on an

85

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

These days, she can be found on the shady lawn at Hulihe‘e
Palace on many Friday mornings with her 24 ‘ukulele students,
a group she started, in part to give back to the Daughters of
Hawai‘i, Calabash Cousins, and the palace.
Her association with the palace began in 1978 when palace
curator Aunty Lei Collins, to whom Lale is related, called and
asked for her help. Lale then started as a docent at the
royal residence.
Rather quickly, Lale was recruited to join the Daughters of
Hawai‘i, the group that saved Hulihe‘e from decay and continues—
with the Calabash Cousins—to maintain it as a museum and
historical site.
These years in Kailua-Kona have been no “retirement” for Lale.
She performed at the Kona Surf for nine years and at countless
other venues including Waimea and on Lana‘i.
A handful of citations, certificates, and letters of appreciation
from governors, mayors and charitable organizations laud her
giving spirit and gifts of time and talent. The American Red
Cross named her an “Everyday Hero.” The Daughters of Hawai‘i
commended her for her “kōkua and mālama.”
She’s been a busy member of the Kuakini Hawaiian Civic Club
since 1995. She entertains at Life Care of Kona with a group
of volunteers inspired by her to join in for the experience of
spreading aloha to patients. The Regency at Hualalai is a regular
stop on her “tour” of Kailua-Kona.
The Kailua-Kona Lions Club has depended on her to coordinate
the entertainment for their pancake breakfasts since 1994.

86

With the Lions, she started the Sight Is Beautiful art contest for
keiki (children).
Working with Alu Like, she brought the program for Hawaiian
elders Ke Ola Pono No Nā Kūpuna to Kailua-Kona where she
taught Hawaiian arts, crafts, hula, and song.
Lale says music is her life because it is something to share, and
it is inclusive. It brings people together.
When asked what her favorite song is, she says she doesn’t
really have one, yet, if she did it would be Smile—and she begins
to sing. ❖
Contact writer Kate Kealani H Winter: khwinter@hawaii.rr.com
Lale entertaining
a large crowd on
the back lawn of
Hulihe‘e Palace.

Featured Cover Artist: Patricia Leo

T

he holiday theme of artist Patricia Leo’s painting showcased
on this issue’s cover is a dreamlike scene from a magical,
enchanted forest in Hawai‘i, illustrated in vibrant, glowing colors.
Part of her ongoing series, 16 years of Christmas in Hawai‘i, she
describes it as “celebrating the beauty and simplicity of the special
way that the Christmas season sparks the aloha spirit here.”
From her home studio in Puna, Patricia finds inspiration all
around. She has her workplace available at all times of the day
or evening. Her Koa‘e home is surrounded by wise old trees and
rainforest jungle that is so thick and vibrant that one can feel it
growing all around you.
Patricia first arrived in Hawai‘i in February 1974 on the
island of Kaua‘i. “My first true residence there was a treehouse
community called Taylor Camp, which has now become a
feature-length documentary.” (TaylorCampKauai.com/live)
It was there she met her husband, Andy, and, with their son
Josh, moved to Hawai‘i Island in 1979.
“Andy builds all my canvases from the ground up, cutting the
wood, making the frame, and stretching the canvas,” says the
self-taught artist.
“I love painting with acrylics on those canvases, on watercolor
paper, and on fabric, which I then use for my quilted baby
blankets. I use various techniques, freely exploring further
horizons that painting in this versatile medium allows.”
“I find that ideas, visions, and
inspiration fly into my thoughts
from any angle at any moment
in time. I like to work from my
sketches or photos. To sit down
at the workspace, refreshed and
ready for the day of painting, is
most ideal. At times, the vision of
how I want to express an idea on
the canvas reveals itself so clearly
that there is only one thing to
do—paint then and there. I
will often bring a painting I am
working on into my bedroom,
Mystic Puna

| By Karen Valentine

Kaimu

where, upon awakening with
the first gaze of morning, I
clearly see where I’m going
with the piece and where I want
to go next.”
“I am beyond in love with the
beauty of Hawai‘i. From my very
first footsteps on the Nāpali Coast
Trail of Kaua‘i, to looking in any
direction in my yard, I can feel
ideas coming to me that become
inner visions of the artwork that I
want to create.”
Patricia has a number of named
Lantern Walk
series for her paintings. “I have
different realms in which I like to dwell for my paintings. When
finished, each one finds a comfy place in my collection.”
Some of her series titles are Path of Gold, Back in the Day,
Exploring the Gem that is Puna, Loose and Flowing Watercolors,
Mandalas, Seascapes and Waves, Above and Below the Ocean,
and her newest inspiration—Childhood, my Violet.
“A highlight for me this year has been the completion and
publication of my children’s book, Little One.”
“My other strong, creative urge is to make dolls, elves, fairies,
felted creations, and baby blankets, with a Waldorf influence for
the children in my life,” she says.
Patricia’s home studio is open to visitors by appointment. It is
located in Koa‘e on the Beach Road or Wa‘a Wa‘a road, not far
from the 1960 lava flow in Kapoho.
Love is Everywhere
Some of her
original paintings
may also be seen in
Dreams of Paradise
Gallery in downtown
Hilo and at Jungle
Love in Pāhoa and
Kailua-Kona.
Contact Patricia Leo:
LeosArt.com
808.936.2568

Historic Kainaliu, Konaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original shopping village.
Located 5 miles south of Kailua-Kona.
Delicious, Healthy, Coffee and Tea

rom Thanksgiving until the end of December is the perfect
time of year to open your home for entertaining. Your house will
be showing its best side by already being decorated and ready
for the festive season.
With the tree all lit up, a few candles all around, a couple
of potted poinsettias, some nice Christmas or soft background
music and a welcoming wreath at the door, your home will be the
perfect stage for any party.
Maybe you have avoided being a host because you thought
the stress would be too much. Maybe you are terrified at the
thought, yet would still like to entertain a small group of friends.
Well, here are a couple of simple ideas that can help you achieve
success with a minimum of effort.
The simplest affairs are usually the best. For small groups,
you can show off your best crystal, china and silverware, but
for larger groups one may want to consider using compostable
serving ware.
Plan the menu around a few simple ideas or be as elaborate as
you feel capable. If you are not overly enthused about the kitchen
and cooking, this is not the time to experiment with new recipes.
These are some last minute ideas that are quick and easy and
can round out your holiday meal, or can serve as a springboard
for a fun party that will not keep you in the kitchen for days.
They can also give you a jump-start on planning for a New Year’s
party menu.

The Classic Swiss Fondue
I found this recipe quite a few years ago in a Food & Wine
Magazine and have used it many times. It’s an easy, no-fail
recipe. It combines well and could be the centerpiece of the
cheese and fruit tray.
1 garlic clove, halved
1 pound Gruyère cheese, grated
1/2 pound Emmentaler or any other Swiss cheese, grated
1 C dry white wine
1 T cornstarch
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 T kirsch (optional)
Freshly ground peppercorns
Freshly grated nutmeg
Rub the inside of a fondue pot or medium enameled casserole
dish with the garlic clove; discard the garlic. Combine the grated
cheeses with the wine, cornstarch, and lemon juice in the
fondue pot and cook over moderate heat over the stove, stirring
occasionally, until the cheeses begin to melt, about five minutes.
Add the kirsch, if using, and a generous pinch each of the
pepper and nutmeg.
Continue cooking, stirring gently, until creamy and smooth,
about 10 minutes. Don’t overcook the fondue or it will get stringy.
Serve immediately with bread slices or chunks, sliced apples,
and sliced mushrooms.
Beverages
If you decide on serving alcohol, plan on at least two drinks
per guest per hour:
• A 750-milliliter bottle of wine holds four 6-ounce servings.
• A liquor bottle of the same size will yield 17 1.5 ounce drinks.
• A gallon of punch averages about 24 servings (*)
• Consider a bubbly cider as a great non-alcoholic alternative.
If you do serve an alcoholic punch or drinks make sure there
are designated drivers in the group and remember to not let your
guests drink and drive.
(*) To give punch a bit of a sparkling “punch,” add a bottle or
two of Ginger Ale or Sprite to the mix just before serving.
Have a wonderful time and remember to enjoy your own party!
Contact writer Sonia R. Martinez: SoniaTastesHawaii.com

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Cheese and Fruit Tray
Since we don’t have specialty cheese shops on-island, look
carefully in your local supermarket’s cheese bins for a good
selection of cheeses.
Be sure to select at least two or three yellow aged cheeses
such as cheddars, Swiss, Gouda; also a selection of soft cheeses
such as Brie, Camembert, and maybe even a soft Mexican like
queso fresco or queso blanco. You must also add at least one
‘stinky’ blue cheese such as Gorgonzola, Stilton, or Roquefort,
and possibly even a hot and spicy cheese such as a Jalapeño
Monterey Jack.

If you have a wooden cutting board, place the cheeses on the
board and choose a selection of fruits that go well with cheeses;
apples, pears, grapes (both green or red, remember to choose
seedless for the sake of your guests!). Add a couple of bowls of
macadamia nuts or hazelnuts. A few slices of starfruit add an
edible festive touch.

91

Dovetail Gallery & Design—Hōlualoa

D

ovetail Gallery & Design is nestled behind the Holualoa
Ukulele Gallery (old Hōlualoa Post Office building) in the historic
Kona coffee village of Hōlualoa.
This unique gallery and custom woodworking shop, opened in
2003, is a “dovetailing” of two dreams by the husband and wife
team of Renee and Gerald Ben.
The gallery is run by Renee Fukumoto-Ben and features
exceptional local artists and their work in contemporary and
abstract art, sculpture, wood works, and jewelry.
The fine furniture and custom woodwork is made on site by
Gerald Ben, known as “Ben,” who also runs the impeccably clean
and organized custom wood
shop below the gallery.
Ben is a sought after
designer and woodworker who
is commissioned throughout
the year by interior designers
and direct clientele. His work
has been featured in national
publications; exhibited and
purchased in Japan, the
mainland, and throughout
Hawai‘i.
The onsite custom wood shop
is run by Ben and Terry Brogan,
a fine craftsman and tutor to
apprentices, along with local
apprentice, David Clements,
who is an up and coming
craftsman in his own right. Ben
also has an internship program
with students from Denmark.
The interns, tutored by Ben
and his team, stay about six
months for a full immersion into
woodworking and ceramic arts.

92

| By Gayle Kaleilehua Greco

L–R: Terry Brogan,
The hallmark of
David Clements, Gerald Ben
the design center
is the one of a kind
masterpiece of fine
furniture and top
quality custom
wood works, which
are designed by
Gerald Ben.
Working with
indigenous koa,
mango, monkey
pod, and other
woods, the
craftsmen produce
breathtaking
creations such as wooden basins, wall light fixtures, wall units,
coffee and dining tables, chairs, credenzas, and even pool tables.
The gallery features well-known and award-winning local
artists whose works include: sculpture and ceramics by Gerald
Ben, David Kuraoka, Ken Matsuzaki; monotypes by Nora
Yamanoha; paintings by Jeera Rattanangkoon, Glenn Yamanoha;
fiber arts by Carlene Keller, Ellen Crocker, Lynn Nakamura; and
jewelry by Kristi Yamanaka of Pia and Michio.
Renee’s talent for curating and interior design, leaves one
wandering through a Zen-like path from one magnificent piece of
art to another, all the while being able to intimately admire each
piece of art and consider your purchase.

business you would like to have
featured, please call 808.327.1711 x1.

Kathleen Dunphy Studio—Kainaliu

E

verything you see in Kathleen Dunphy Studio art gallery
in Kainaliu is inspired, created, and hand-built by the artist
herself. In fact, most days you can watch Kathleen work in
her gallery studio.
All around, you see whimsical characters that can come to life
as puppets when you put your hand inside, primitive sculptures,
fiber art, masks, and paintings on metal.
Kathleen is a multiple award winner at the annual Trash
Art Show in Hilo and the Kona Coffee
Hitting
Festival. Some of her pieces are owned by
the
Nail celebrities, such as Rosanne Barr.
on the
A world traveler, she grew up in the
Head
famous Haight-Ashbury district in San
Francisco, giving her a deep appreciation
of the diversity of cultures in our world,
and eventually settled in South Kona.
“The people I met, places visited and
events I experienced gave me a global
perspective of where we were headed,
while also seeing history gave me roots in
the ancient voices from which we emerged
and still live with us,” she says.
Primarily,
Junk Yard Dog
she creates
multi-media
assemblages
made of
found
objects,
paint, and
sculptures.
Each one is
an original,
and because
you can buy

| By Karen Valentine

the art directly from the artist for less, she
says, you are getting a good value.
Dunphy Studio is located on the main
highway in Kainaliu town in South Kona,
directly across the street from Oshima
Store and next to Wally’s Watch Shop, both
landmarks in town.
Kathleen also enjoys teaching children,
and parents can make arrangements to set
up one-on-one lessons.
To get a good idea of her work, enjoy the
photos on this page and try to imagine all
the materials that went into each one.

Hulihe‘e Palace Grounds, Kailua-Kona
2nd Tuesday of the month
1–2:30pm
Men and women who support the mission of
Daughters of Hawai‘i.
Contact BK Calder
president@calabashcousinshawaii.com
808.329.9555
CalabashCousinsHawaii.com

Hawai‘i Community College, Kailua-Kona
Ongoing 11am–3:30pm
Training to teach low-literacy adults to
improve their reading and writing. See website
for more info.
volunteer@hawaiiliteracy.org
HawaiiLiteracy.org

Serving Laupāhoehoe to South Point
Ongoing
Seeking volunteers to provide staff support
and care to patients and families.
Contact Jeanette Mochida
jeanettem@hospiceofhilo.org
808.969.1733
HospiceOfHilo.org

Kurtistown
Ongoing
Volunteers needed to help care for the
animals, repairs and maintenance to the
Sanctuary, and help with the office paperwork.
Contact Mary Rose
mail@rainbowfriends.org
808.982.5110
RainbowFriends.org

Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii
Kailua-Kona
Volunteers are the heart and soul of this
program. All levels of expertise needed.
Contact Nancy Bloomfield
nannygirl@hawaii.rr.com
808.937.7903
ThhKona.org

Holuakoa Gardens & Café
Talk Story with an Advertiser | By Megan Moseley

S

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

age Hecht and his
stepfather Claggett “Wilson”
Reed are the owners and
operators of the farm-totable restaurant Holuakoa
Gardens and Café in
Hōlualoa on the west side
of Hawai‘i Island.
Visitors to this quaint
establishment enjoy a
variety of food rooted in the
“slow-food movement,” a concept that values the principles of
high-quality taste, environmental sustainability and social justice.
At Holuakoa Gardens & Café, they serve locally raised beef,
chicken, pork, and plenty of greens to fulfill your heart’s desire.
While farm-to-table, organic and sustainable are more or less
catchy buzzwords these days; Wilson said they were ahead of
the curve when they opened the restaurant in 2008.
“We were one of the first restaurants to be dedicated to local
food when we first opened,” he says.
They’ve continued to stick with those values and currently
purchase their food from multiple farmers, the farmers market
and even grow and raise some of the goods themselves.
Wilson and Sage’s mother invented the local-style restaurant
during the early 2000s. At the time, Wilson, a trained chef
from the French Culinary Institute, desired a change from the
everyday stress of working in a high-end resort on island and
wanted to bring his talents and vision into his own business.
Eventually, the duo found an old coffee shop and transformed
the building into the Holuakoa Gardens & Café. The restaurant
is located in the charming town of Hōlualoa, an area that both
Sage and Wilson admire and adore.
“I love this community. They’ve really embraced us and it’s a
very special village,” Wilson says.
Holuakoa Gardens and Café is available for private parties and
special events.

20% off any service!
Offer expires 12/31/16. Participating stylists only.
Cannot be combined with other offers. Cannot be used
for weddings or group events. One per customer.

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

r. Jade McGaff
is offering an
exciting new FDAapproved therapy
at her new office in
North Hawai‘i!
Can you imagine
being able to restore
gynecologic health
without surgery,
pain, or downtime?
Almost half of the women in the U.S. suffer symptoms from
declining estrogen. Eighty percent of women feel these
symptoms negatively impact their lives, yet very few women
consult with their doctors for solutions to these issues.
The MonaLisa Touch is a novel laser therapy to treat these
gynecologic issues. It is the only technology supported by
histological data and extensive clinical studies published in
esteemed gynecologic journals.
MonaLisa Touch has been described as a “game changer” by
Dr. Mickey Karram, an internationally renowned Urogynecologist
and Pelvic Surgeon, and expert in postmenopausal vaginal
health. Dr. Karram believes MonaLisa Touch is an option that is
changing patient’s lives.
MonaLisa Touch is an ideal treatment that is fast, simple
and safe.
• Three–five minute treatments at six week intervals
• No anesthesia and no pain
• In-office procedure
• Annual follow up treatment once a year
“I have been extremely impressed with the response of the
bladder to this therapy, as well. My premenopausal women often
stop leaking urine after only the first of the three treatments!
The restoration of healthy sexual function for my clients has been
especially rewarding,” says Dr. McGaff.
Dr. McGaff also offers bio-identical hormones, gynecological
exams, women’s health, anti-aging treatments, laser therapies,
and skincare treatments.
Dr McGaff trained at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, is
a Board Certified OB-Gyn, and has always practiced Integrated
Medicine, working with Naturopaths, Midwives, Acupuncturists,
and other holistic practitioners.
This exciting new venture is the collaboration of the ‘Dynamic
Duo”—Dr. Joan Greco and Dr. Jade McGaff.
Watch for specials and innovative new therapies involving stem
cells, laser lipolysis and more. Easy financing is available.

H E A R T S
& S T A R S

99

Kona Boys, Inc.

T

Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser with Ke Ola

wo surfing friends who wanted to leave the mainland bigbusiness world and follow their passions are now making their
passion their business.
After graduating from Northern Arizona University, Frank
Carpenter had worked for a large corporation and several startups in California. He had visited family in the Kona area since
childhood and traveled here for surf trips. Feeling the call to
move here, he approached his fellow surfer and college buddy,
Brock Stratton, to join him. It wasnʻt a hard sell.
“We came to an epiphany,” Frank says. “We wanted to do
something based on lifestyle rather than money.”
The two took the leap and joined the Kealakekua-based
Kona Boys, Inc. water sports business in 1996, completing the
acquisition of the company from its previous owner in 2000.
Over the years, the two have expanded the business both
physically and in its product
offerings. Because this year marks
their 20th anniversary, a new
website, and enhanced branding is in
the works, says Frank.
“We want to emphasize our entire
range of offerings under one banner,”
he says.
Kona Boys is one of only three
companies permitted to conduct
guided kayak tours in the protected
waters of Kealakekua Bay. In addition
to offering half-day guided and
catered tours, they offer kayak rentals and sales; surfboard
rentals and sales; stand up paddle board and snorkel gear
rentals and sales, as well as retail clothing and equipment.
There are now two locations. Kona Boys’ original store, which
has expanded, is on the highway in Kealakekua, convenient to
customers on their way to go kayaking in Kealakekua Bay.
Kona Boys also operates the Beach Shack on Kamakahonu
Bay in front of Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel,
where you can rent stand-up paddle boards and take lessons
or tours; rent kayaks, snorkel, boogie boards and beach gear;
or take
outrigger
canoe rides.
They also
sell standup paddle
boards
there.
Frank says
the company
has three
guiding
principles:
Customer
Service,

Humpback Whale watching

Community, and Culture. They honor their mission to
protect the ocean and participate in volunteer projects like
quarterly clean-ups at
Kona
Beach
Kealakekua Bay.
Shack
“Our focus is not only
on providing guided tours,
but in perpetuating our
host culture by building in
a narrative of the history
and understanding of the
culture. We pride ourselves
on having extensive local
knowledge, superior
equipment and customer
service, plus a focus on
safety.”
“We are passionate about protecting the ocean. It’s important
to give our customers a good experience on the ocean to let
them see what there is to protect. By appreciating the sea life
and beauty of our resources, we hope it will instill in them a
desire to participate in its protection.”
Kona Boys Inc.
79-7539 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kealakekua
Kealakekua Shop
808.328.1234
Daily, 7:30am–5pm
Kona Beach Shack
808.329.2345
Daily, 8am–5pm
reservations@konaboys.com
KonaBoys.com
Kealakekua Shop

This story is a special feature for our long time advertisers. If you have a business you would like to have featured, please call 808.327.1711 x1.

MARKETPLACE
ACCREDITED BUYERS REPRESENTATIVE

MARKETING HELP

LAST CHANCE FOR 2016 RATES!
Ads this size are $328 for each 2 month issue
and can be paid at $164 per month!
24,000 copies are distributed island wide every 2 months!

Reserve your spot in the Jan/Feb ’17 issue by 11/20!
East Hawai‘i: 935.7210 West Hawai‘i: 329.1711

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KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

"We Manufacture Metal Roofing"

101

Ka Puana–The Refrain

KeOlaMagazine.com | November–December 2016

Author Cecilia Johansen
is a Waimea, Hawai‘i
Island resident.
These excerpts are
used with permission.

102

Page 31
Nāihe was well-respected from Kaimū all the way to ‘Āpua.
However, the men would not offend him by saying they had
already seen the runner. King Kalani‘ōpu‘u's runners, wearing
malo, were famous for being able to run flat out so their
loincloth would shoot straight out behind them.
When the men and their sons reached the beautiful black sand
beach of Kalapana, all the people living nearby were assembled.
The crowd included family heads of the ahupua‘a from Poupou,
Kamoamoa, Kahauale‘a, Kapa‘ahu, Kalapana, and Kaimū2 and
stood on the sandy beach or floated in canoes on the water.
‘Eleu never paid attention to what people looked like, and
quite suddenly, he was aware of his father's appearance.
Kanewa was his name—the war club. It seemed an odd
thing to be called, but his father was a tall strong man with
very large hands. “Sort of club-like, I guess,” he thought to
himself, wrinkling his nose. Hands like that would be desired
in his profession.
His father was an expert with the adze of all sizes and could
flake great large pieces as well as the most delicate of pieces
from koa logs of which the canoes were made.
He was able to hew out a log faster than any other canoe
makers in the district, which made him a favorite of the local
chiefs. With that last canoe of the fleet done in record time, he
would be the favorite of the great chief Kalani‘ōpu‘u.
‘Eleu noticed how the people respected his father, and when
it came time to remove the canoe from its halau wa‘a, the long
house built to protect it, the boy immediately felt pride that he
was the canoe maker's son—a new feeling for the young boy of
five years old.
2. Except for Kalapana, these ahupua‘a have not survived due to lava flow.

Page 78
One early morning, royal messengers came to Pāwa‘a to
request some men, especially ‘Eleu and Waipā, who would be
going to the navy yard at Kealakekua. ‘Eleu recognized two of
those men who came for him at Waimanalo. He agonized over
the turn of events. There was no time to get word to his family.
Somehow, he must let them know where he was going.
Work at the bay on Hawai‘i Island was the same. Hundreds
of logs had their cores removed and the pepeiao gouged out
inside at intervals. Seats fitted with the was underneath would
prevent the hull from twisting. Those seats would hold two
paddlers each. With the addition of the platform between the
hulls, the combined carrying capacity of the peleleu could easily
be two hundred forty paddler-warriors plus gear. The sails made
of canvas were attached to ‘ōhi‘a lehua masts, resembling the
schooners that came to the islands. The new sailing vessels were
called wa‘a peleleu, the large war canoes for Kamehameha's
approaching invasion.
‘Eleu was good at all the canoesʻ lashing with ‘aha. Beside his
duties of finishing hulls, he was requested to tie the intricate
pā‘ū o Lu‘ukia, the decorative and strong lashing by which the
lako (outrigger boom) was attached to the canoe.
During the day, ‘Eleu worked hard to keep himself from
thinking. The nights were not so lucky. He rolled around on
his pallet dreaming, constantly dreaming of his family. Maka
pilau, evil ghosts, robbed him of his sleep. He usually awoke in
drenching sweats and foul moods. ‘Eleu's only comfort was his
friend Waipā.
Then it happened. A ship appeared in the bay at noon. Sailors
came to trade iron for food and water. The canoe makers
stopped to observe the movements of the boats lowered off
the ship with barrels in tow, sailors swarming over the boarding
nets spread out over the sides. ‘Eleu never looked their way and
began gathering his tools. It was time for the noonday meal. He
was hungry and in another foul mood. He did not care anymore
about the big ships. The sailors came and went from the shore
to the ship at Ka‘awaloa and Keei. Back and forth, they came
until it was too dark to see. The women from shore tried to
come aboard under the cover of night, but the captain would not
allow it and sent them packing. He had another thing in mind.
Early the next morning, some sailors were hiding on shore by
Ka‘awaloa Point for “that other thing.”
‘Eleu had gone alone for a swim in the half-light of the bay
to wash off the stench of the night’s sleepless trauma and was
surprised that the ship was still anchored in the bay. He finally
felt refreshed and went back to shore and picked up his kit to
begin the day’s work. All the while, his only thoughts were of
his family.
His inattention to his surroundings was something a warrior
would never do. The men quietly followed their excellent
candidate who was easy pickings.
‘Eleu felt a stunning blow to the back of his head. All was
blackness, and he again was fighting the maka pilau.

Contact author Cecilia Johansen: cjohansen@hawaii.rr.com
The Canoe Maker’s Son is available from Basically Books, Kona
Stories, and other local bookstores.